"My Very Own Bed"

We've been so busy lately, I don't even know what I haven't blogged about.
Over the thanksgiving holiday break, we took him out to Nana's to stay while we went house hunting in Colorado. They made up "my very own bed!" with an air mattress in their room since we had to get up and go to the airport at 3am and didn't want to wake anyone. He apparently was still up at 4:45 in the morning.  He enjoyed getting to play games with Katara, Kaleb, and sometimes Dawson too.
That Friday they went to a chicken farm to buy more chickens and he enjoyed that.

Sunday November 30th, we went from the airport to a restaurant in Smyrna where we met Nana and Papa and Andrew for lunch. Andrew was hoping that we were picking him up to take him to Colorado to go snowboarding. Before letting him sink into a depression about that, I told him to check out the package hiding behind my coat. He discovered a brand new superhero Flash cape and matching eye mask, and I have to say it suits him well.  He had been wearing his black dollar store cape everywhere lately, and now he has a bright red one with a lightening bolt on it. He was wearing it when we walked out of the restaurant, and every table was smiling and chuckling about how cute he was with his cape and mask on.

Nana told us at lunch that Andrew got a deep concerned look and asked, "Do you know the real reason we're moving to Colorado?" ... "Because daddy wants to teach me how to snowboard!"

Wednesday December 3rd, during the bookstudy lesson Andrew asked if he could raise his hand and answer a question. I told him yes and tried to find an answer and he said he wanted it to be from the top of his heart.  Before I know it - he's getting called on. Apparently we both made surprise faces because the conductor said afterward "they didn't even know what he was going to say." However - Andrew gave an excellent answer!! He words things so interestingly.. he said something about needing to treat delicately anyone who is sick or hurting. What five year old uses the word "delicately?" 

Saturday the 6th the Chumleys came over for dinner. Andrew pulled out a snap circuit activity that Nana gave him. It has several layouts to create circuits that will turn on a light, a fan, or a soundboard. He LOVES it. Barry and daddy helped him with it before dinner, and Joy helped him after. I tried but I'm apparently not very good at it because I couldn't figure out the layout of the one that was next in the book. He has spent HOURS creating different circuits.

He also loves the game Pictureka. He doesn't like losing - but most of the time, it's a pretty close game.

Thursday the 11th, he successfully tied his own shoe. It took a few tries of showing him how, but he did it. Then he wanted to tie the second shoe on his own. He was starting to get his fingers tangled up so I stepped in trying to stop him and show him where it was going wrong and how to change his fingers to help. He got irritated with me so I quit trying to help.  Then he gets really mad when it didn't work and he started crying. I reassured him that shoe tying is hard and takes practice, but that is also why I was trying to help. I tied his shoe for him. He stood up, jumped, and fell on his knees. (that's one thing he does when he is frustrated and angry). I asked him why he did that and he said, "I just feel like hurting myself."  It kills me.  He does that - he'll smack himself on the head or face, or spank himself, or throw himself on the floor without 'catching' his fall.  Or he'll try to break something he loves. I know it's all internal turmoil and not knowing how to handle the emotions he feels - but it still kills me because I don't really know how to help. I could do exactly what he asks me to do for him and he could still find fault with me so it gets very frustrating for me too. I'm criticized no matter what I do, and never appreciated.  I know when/where it all started, but I dont know how to make that end. I so dearly miss my sweet, caring, loving, eager to help, little boy that I had before the fiasco of my going to school.  And add his starting Kindergarten and he's now also interested in shooting and killing and bad guys which doesn't help.

Saturday at 1 I had to meet someone in Cool Springs for them to buy an easel. I suggested Chuck E Cheese. We could use up the tokens we've had sitting around. We ate some Culver's in the car to avoid the pizza (Andrew's had a cough for a while that is worse at night and first thing in the morning so we are limiting dairy right now). He ended up earning 444 tickets to spend on prizes. 
Afterward, we went to spend a free $15 I got in the mail for Kohls. The toys were on sale and we picked out a big castle that is usually 99.99 and was 60% off, plus I had a coupon and the $15 so we got a great deal on it. It has sounds and lots of interesting things on it to keep him busy.

Later in the evening, we were moving it from the dining table to the office so the dogs wouldn't get the small pieces. He tried carrying the little pieces in his shirt but started dropping them. He started freaking out and yelling 'Help! Help! Help me!!"  I had my hands full and there was no real urgency anyway. The dogs were outside. I put the castle down in the office and came back to help him and explained to him that I had my hands full but everything is okay! As I start walking back to the office again with more pieces he says, "Mom, go to Hell."  I didn't get upset, didn't raise my voice or scold him. I told him that is not something okay to say and asked who taught him that. He smiled and decided I must be lying and that he doesn't know what I'm talking about. I let it go but told him again it's not acceptable speech.
After bath he was upset with daddy about something. I heard him mumbling, "I'm gonna kill daddy. I'm gonna kill him!"  I said, "you're gonna kill daddy, huh?"  In an angry frustrated voice he said, "I'm not gonna for real! It's just an expression!!!"  *sigh* 

Sunday morning he asked if it was bad to show his middle finger sticking up to someone. Kids at school taught him that too.