Excited to be FOUR!

Monday, Andrew told me he was 4 years old. I told him "that's tomorrow!"  He held back tears and said, "No! It's today!"  I assured him today was Monday the 16th but if he wanted to call himself 4 that was fine. I wasn't going to get into a debate about it.

Tuesday morning, first thing I said, "hello four year old!!"  He looked like he had forgotten and then smiled big. I know he was hoping we'd make a big to-do like the kids in his class do, but I reminded him that we do special things ALL the time!  But it was still okay to be excited that he was a year older. He stood tall and said, "Look how BIG I am!"

Tuesday evening I was laying on my studio floor while daddy and aunt Eese made dinner. I overheard daddy tell Andrew that mommy was relaxing and to be mindful. Andrew stood his distance and asked me why I was relaxing. I told him I was sad because someone had said some unkind things to me and hurt my feelings. He asked, "Was it me?"  I told him no. "Was it daddy?"  No. I told him it was someone he didn't know.  Then he carefully got close to me and laid down on his stomach so he could see me. Then he told me he was sorry I was sad and that he loves me. I kissed his forehead and thanked him and told him he was being very kind. Then he gently and slowly took my glasses off of my face, folded them, and rested them next to my head. Then he asked, "Do you know why I took off your glasses?"  I asked why.  "Because you're supposed to be relaxing."   lol 

Daddy suspects we have more mice, so he brought home some mouse traps. He said the only way he could pry Andrew from school was to tell him they'd go mouse hunting when they got home. So after dinner, they went under the house to set out mouse traps. I'm sure it's a little confusing after playing the game 'Mousetrap' but we did try to explain to him how it works and what it's purpose is, as gruesome as it is.

Wednesday Andrew apparently threw mulch on the playground. Upon learning of it, Ted said he felt like HE was getting scolded by the teacher and some of the kids. Apparently, a kid in another class recently had to have eye surgery because of mulch throwing. Ted nearly snapped because throwing mulch is huge "no-no" but they let the other kids hit and punch each other with hardly a consequence??   I think every 2-3 days Andrew tells us that a boy punched him (and we've witnessed it ourselves too).

Getting Andrew ready, Ted wet his hair and shuffled it so it spiked all over. Andrew said, "I look like a band!" and then started making DJ noises and funny hand gestures. Hmmm ??
Then he put a sticker on the side of his head and said, "I look like a listening burp, right?"  Uhm.. whatever that is.

Thursday Ted talked with the other preschool class' teacher to ask her opinion of the rowdy class Andrew is in. His seems to be out of control, and the things they allow are unacceptable. She had the same opinion and said if she had to be in that class, she'd quit in two weeks. Ted then went to the director of the school demanding that Andrew be transferred into the other class. He would spend a little time in the new class for two days, and Monday he'll be in there full time.

Saturday, Parker refused to come with us in service because he has a major crush on Cairo. One of the Wright boys volunteered to come with us, but their daddy had to bribe the other with a milkshake. Thankfully, the fruit smoothie machine at that gas station has no dye in it, and it made Andrew feel very special to be allowed to have one also. We had a nice morning...
After service, we headed out to Smyrna for Nissan Family Day. He really wanted to swing on the swing set, but we told him we didn't come to swing, and that he has those at home and at the park. So he opted for some kid rides, he enjoyed winning a few prizes playing games, got a tattoo on his hand (after waiting an eternity for the face painter and giving up), and then had a BLAST bouncing in a bounce house with a slide. I let him taste cotton candy for the first time and then we moved out of the kiddie area. He really liked one trailer that was a 'walk in space', it was black inside and you walk across a bridge while the entire room around you spins with colored stars on it.  He got to ride one more ride, an air balloon ride with Annelise, and then spent the remainder of the time going through huge bounce house obstacle courses.
When we left, we met up with Jenn and Houston for some dinner. He enjoyed being with them. When Jenn let him feel Oliver kicking inside her, he asked, "Is he trying to get out?"  and seemed slightly concerned. Then he said, "I think he's going down your small intestines."