Piggy Bank

Nora is really starting to put things together and grasp the BIG wide world. Even at a little over three there are so many concepts she still has to understand.

One being money.

We get asked a lot ''why daddy has to go to work'' or ''why mommy has to go to work''. In most cases, our answer is to make money to pay for things like food and groceries. Then Nora will say, ''AND toys!'' Three year olds have priorities too, mine don't include toys.

Mom and Dad have been visiting for the New Year and Nora has been enjoying Nuggle Chat with the Mimi. Last night, Nora started talking about her piggy bank on the shelf in her room. How daddy had given her lots of poins(coins) to put in it. How she and Han-du(Andrew) jumped and jumped and jumped to get it but could not reach it. Because they are small. But mommy is big and has strong hands so she can get the piggy bank.

(Don't you LOOOOOVE how they explain things sometimes)

My mom promised to give her some coins for the piggy bank in the morning before they left, but Nora was to remind her.

Imagine Nora's excitement when my mom handed her a $1 bill! To Nora bills are MONEY, coins are just things to play with. Poppie tried to reason with her. He handed over two silver dollars in exchange for the $1 but nope, she wanted what she viewed as money.

She begged to take the dollar to the airport with us, but was told no we need to keep it safe.

There are always sad goodbyes with the Mimi and Poppie but Nora did well this time. Going to the airport has become an adventure for her, sitting back there tingling with excitment about seeing the planes, talking about going to TEXAS. If you ask her Mimi and Poppie live at the airport or the Atlanta airport IS Texas. The distance between us is hard to explain, even on a map.

As we curved around out of the airport and back onto I85 the usual conversation started....

''Mommy, I miss my Mimi and Poppie. I want them to come back. I love them. I want to go into the airport and see the planes with Poppie''

''Nora, we can't go in the airport we don't have tickets''

''Moommmmy! We can get the tickets, Mimi give me money so we can buy a ticket ok?''

''That's a very nice thought Nora but you need more money for a ticket''

''OH, Mimi give me more money next time''

And it is true, my mom will probably give her money on their next visit in April because she's a sucker like every other grandparent. I was just astonished the Nora understands that tickets, plane tickets cost money...she's getting big and growing up and I'm watching her lose the innocence one piece at a time.

(Note: I called my mom immediately to tell her about the conversation. Mom says, one day she will buy Nora a ticket to fly her, all by herself to Texas. I don't know if I could ever do that, put my child on a plane without me, too much of a nervous flyer)