Money by Andrew

Andrew and I had an enlightening conversation about money today. I grew up being told that "money doesn't grow on trees." Well, Andrew has his own version. For ease of writing, M is for mom and A is for Andrew.

A: "Mom, we need to get more money to go for tumbling and swimming"
M: "umm, ok" chuckle, chuckle
A: "Why is that funny, mommy?"
M: "Because, Andrew, it is hard to get more money."
A: "Oh, well, we just need to go to the money store."
M: "What money store? There is no money store."
A: "They just have to take down the old building and build a new building for the money store."
M: "And does the money store give you money or take your money"
A: "They give you money."
M: "Oh, where do they get the money that they give you?"
A: "They sell it to you."
M: "They sell you money? What do you give them for the money?"
A: "You give them your old money and they give you the new money."
M: "Oh.... ok."
A: "Then we can have lots of money to go tumbling and swimming."

Ahh, if it were truly that simple!

But, my tongue's not long enough!

My sister, Kim, often comes down from Salt Lake to play with the kids and make sure her status of "favorite Auntie" is secure.

So, Kim came down for the weekend, and Mike and I went on a date. Andrew is potty-trained, but still uses a diaper for bed. He was laying down on the changing pad and she said, "Lift your bum up so I can put your diaper on." Andrew sits bolt up-right and says, "But, I can't lick my bum! My tongue's not long enough!"

Mommy, you made a mistake!

Andrew's preschool works on a different letter of the alphabet each week. The letter of the week is introduced on Monday and on Friday he gets to take a show-and-tell item starting with that letter to end the week of learning. I try to find multiple items for each letter and let him choose what he wants to bring.

This past week was the letter W. Friday came quickly for me and I had only thought of: water, wheel, and worm. He has a cute caterpillar, named Cally, that he had been playing with all week, so I suggested he take the caterpillar for show-and-tell. When I picked him up from school, he looked at me with a very concerned look and said, "Mommy, you made a mistake! Cally is NOT a worm, she's a caterpillar. See, she has all these feetsies. Worms don't have feetsies. See, mommy, Cally has feetsies, she's not a worm, she's a caterpillar!" He continued explaining to me until I admitted that I was wrong and that Cally was not, in fact, a worm.

3 for 3

Too bad i'm not talking about my batting avg. Instead I am referring to my babies with allergies. That's right, Lizzie has food allergies just like the others. I am concerned that hers are as severe as Andrew's - she's having symptoms like his. I am hoping that catching it this early will prevent them from getting worse. So...

I am now soliciting (begging) for recipe ideas that don't require: dairy, soy, egg, or peanut. I am especially in need of dinner ideas. I can substitute some things in recipes, but if you have to substitute more than 2 ingredients then it no longer resembles the original item. I have yet to find a good substitute for cheese, sour cream, or cream cheese - and almond cheese has a dairy protein (casein) in it, so no good.

Please help if you can. Thanks :)

A nose lid?

Anyone familiar with Andrew knows that he gags (and throws up) very easily. Lately, strong bad smells have caused him to start gagging.

The other day, we left the house for school and Andrew said that it was stinky outside. Apparently the stinky followed us into the car because Andrew asked me for a "nose lid."

"What do you want, Andrew?"
"Mommy, I need a nose lid."
"Why do you need a nose lid?"
"To protect me from the stinky," he said as if this was obvious.
"What?"
"Mommy!" Andrew said exasperatedly, "I need a nose lid to protect me from the stinky smell!"
"Oh, ok. Well, we don't have a nose lid."
"Ooohh. We can go to the nose store to buy a nose lid."
"The nose store?"
"Yeah, the nose store. That's where you buy a nose lid."
"Oh, well... I don't know where the nose store is."
"That's ok, mommy. I tell how to get there. First, you go on the turny bridge (the North on-ramp) vroom, vroom, vroom and then drive next to railroad tracks for a long time and then turn corners and you are there."
"Really? Those are good directions. Maybe we should just get you a new nose."
"No! mommy, you're being silly. I can't get a new nose. I need a nose lid to protect me from the stinky smells."

We decided we would talk about it again after school. Luckily, he forgot about it by the time I picked him up.

It's a girl!

Elizabeth Sue Martineau
March 4, 2009 @ 6:42pm
7lbs 9oz, 19.5 inches
all is well

i just sent an email with photos to everyone that i have email addresses for. if you didn't get the email, please contact me at: sendtobeckym@hotmail.com
i'll forward the email to you and update my address book.

How to Really Scare Daddy

Mike's father has been having various medical problems and has been staying with us off and on in order to be close to his doctors. He has passed out a few times and this has scared us all.

The other day, Andrew wanted to watch a movie in the living room. Mike was working downstairs and Grandpa was asleep on the couch. I was gone with Rachael and Grandma was gone, too. So, Andrew went to Mike carrying some headphones and said, "Daddy, I want to watch a movie and I can't wake up Grandpa." Mike rushed upstairs to find his father on the couch looking pale with his head back. His mouth was partially open and he was very still. Mike's fear gripped him and he ran to his father shaking him and yelling, "Dad, Dad!" Grandpa opened his eyes and said, "What?! I was having a good nap!"

Apparently, Andrew was asking daddy for help plugging the headphones in to the DVD player so that he wouldn't wake up grandpa.