Counting Down the Days to Being FIVE

I don't know what Andrew, Grandma, and Aunt Sandi did the week we were gone, but I know there were lots of crafts and activities that Andrew enjoyed. We requested he take a nap on Saturday so that he could stay up later and see us when we got home.  I could hardly wait to hug him.
He wrote "welcome home! I love you mom and dad" with hearts and stars in chalk all on the sidewalk. Then they decorated the door with welcome home and i love you signs. I came in and he was hiding under the kid table by the door as the dogs went crazy with excitement.  Over and over again he kept telling me how happy he was to have me home.

Sunday morning we had breakfast at Cracker Barrel. All he asked for was grits. But he ate two full biscuits with apple butter and sausage gravy, two sausage patties, two strips of bacon, the grits, and half an orange juice. I don't know where he put it all!  He totally scored some new toys from the 80% off rack there too.

Later we gave him the presents we brought back from Mexico. He was not happy to get a set of maracas because he was hoping it was Legos, but he did think getting his very own Mayan stone chess set was pretty cool.

Sunday evening, daddy turned him loose on the lawn mower (gasp!). Many times Ted has had Andrew on his lap controlling the lawn mower. This day, daddy had him prove that he knew all the controls and then apparently ran along side him to make sure he wouldn't run over a fence or tree. Daddy reported that Andrew did perfectly and 'did just so' to all his instructions. (yes this still scares me as a mom.)

He did try to pull his uncooperative stunts to avoid practicing the violin, but once he finally did cooperate he totally rocked it. Which also paid off at his violin lesson on Monday. Though he did try to convince his teacher that his legs hurt and he needs to sit down several times. When I finally told him that if he keeps complaining we can't go to the park before lessons again and he just told me to shut up. I know he doesn't know that it's a rude thing to say so will have to talk to him about that later. He did get in trouble for deliberately being stubborn and disobedient in the parking lot. I told him he would get a spanking when we got home. Most of the way home, he was trying to convince me to not spank him (and definitely not let daddy spank) but to give him alternate disciplines, like a "thinking session" or just telling him "you will obey".  He was so worried the spanking would hurt.  I told him I dont want to hurt him - I just want him to remember that he can't get away with the stunts he pulls on me. We went to his room and talked for a while and then I gave him one swat to the hiney. "Oh good!" he signed with relief that it didn't really hurt. lol

I have noticed that he is always counting. Counting how many people are at the table, how many bites he has left on his plate, how many cars are in line.  I dont think his mind ever rests. This week he has been counting down the days to his birthdate. He'll be 5!  

Tuesday he was up early to say goodbye to Grandma and Aunt Sandi (and daddy), and watching How to Train your Dragon on daddy's ipad when I got up. He was very cooperative and good. I finally remembered to give him hugs BEFORE getting buckled into his seat since I don't get to hug him when I drop him off at school.

Tuesday afternoon we pulled onto our street and he asked if he could walk home from there. I told him that wasn't a great idea - but asked if he'd like to walk from the end of our driveway. He excitedly jumped out of the car and waved me onward. I suggested he get the mail while he was there. As he goes, the bus drops off a bunch of older kids. Then I see him struggling to hold each piece of mail in his arms as he collects another. Then as he hop jumps and starts walking back I hear, "Mom! I got a message! Someone messaged me! I got a message in the mail! It's in the middle."  He went to the couch and put it all down and eagerly opened his mail. It was to tell us that he'd received his last issue of the Little Kids National Geographic and wouldn't get any more unless we renewed. I dont think he minded that so much - but he was disappointed that it wasn't a real letter from someone he knew. Then he asked, "Can I open Ted Hagler's mail?"  and "You're Ceacy Amanda Hagler, aren't you? Can I open your mail?"  He's so cute! 

We had to go buy dog food after dinner. From home we saw it off in the distance, and when we got to TSC, it was literally overhead. He heard and saw the flames that make the balloon stay up, and was eager to see it again as we were leaving.
At Lowe's (for a new sink disposal) he enjoyed pretending to drive the lawn mowers, then tested out the shower displays. He was hoping to get to test out the vacuum cleaners but I said no - and that if he wanted to try one out, he could vacuum at home. I have to admit, I miss the days when we'd go there and he'd try out every vacuum cleaner and test drive every other lawn mower. And the days that he did want to vacuum at home too.  The days seemed slower back then.

Thursday morning he was telling me he doesn't really like the guidance class. He said they sometimes watch movies which is okay, but the rest of the time, "we only get to color."  

Thursday after school, the weather was gorgeous so we hung out at the park for a couple of hours. Andrew and three other boys positioned a log and started hauling rocks to build a dam in the dry creek. Once the other boys left, Andrew kept wanting to pile the big rocks higher and higher. I tried to explain that he had a nice big flat rock the same level as the log (they were using it as a bridge also), so the rest of the rocks just needed to go around it - and to fill in the gaps with small rocks and dirt.  He didn't quite grasp the reasoning.  He sure had fun hauling rocks and digging in the dirt though. Daddy joined us for a little bit on his way home which was nice.

Earlier this week he asked for a turkey cheese roll up with spinach and ranch in it. I was out of spinach. The next day he told me he didn't want a roll up - he wanted the turkey and cheese to be cut into shapes. I am assuming someone else had a lunchables. So I cut his cheese into squares and the turkey ended up in rounded triangles. He has been content with that so far. 

Saturday he was very set on wearing a particular pair of dress shoes out in service. It'd be the first time he would wear these lace up shoes. His velcro dress shoes finally were too small for him. I'd purchased some black sneakers for him to wear before finding the actual dress shoes. He refuses to wear them; he doesn't like the way they look.  He sat on the hallway floor asking me to show him how to tie shoes. Soon we were running short on time and I got one shoe on and tied, but couldn't for the life of me get the second one on. I finally told him that he was going to have to wear the velcro because we didn't have time to mess with them now, and those would be easier. You'd have thought I'd told him he couldn't have a new toy the rest of his life. Complete meltdown into sobbing.  He had to walk to the car in his socks and put his shoes on at the hall.
He was elated to have Samantha come with us, and then come home with us too. He was having a hard time sharing all of his toys, and letting her have long turns or even her going first with things. Amazingly, she still had fun. She kept tattling on him. Eventually I told her that he didn't have to let her go first all the time either, and there will be some toys that he really doesn't want others playing with and that is okay. There are still plenty of toys. But reminded him that he has to share because she doesn't have any of her stuff here.