The twinkies are beginning to understand the concept of money. Mostly because they want me to buy them a new toy, video game, or app every single second of every single day. When I ask them if they have any money they say, “no, but you do.”

Jackson earned a couple of dollars this week from the tooth fairy. He was very excited about losing the tooth. He told me, “I am so proud of myself!” It takes a lot of effort to lose a tooth. He lost his first loose tooth by hitting himself in the face with the refrigerator door. (He does this 3-4 times a day. It’s one of the hazards of being short in both stature and mental capacity.) This second tooth he lost while he and Reese were wrestling in his bed. It took half an hour, a flashlight, and a steak knife to find and dislodge the tooth from the boards holding their bunk beds together. He lost the tooth five minutes later and had to leave the tooth fairy a note. He and Reese had a plan to use the tooth money to buy Mario Party 9. They figured it would be no problem since, “the tooth fairy is rich!”

Something to be proud of for sure.

Of course, the tooth fairy was not nearly rich enough to leave the $50 needed for Mario Party 9. (Nor does she think the twinkies need another video game.) But they’re still obsessed. Tonight they wanted to know how people get money. I explained that grown ups get jobs and their older brother and sister do chores to earn money.

Reese and Jackson were very interested in this idea. They are ready to take over the chore reigns from Taryn and John. Reese said, “Yeah, when we’re eight John and Sissy won’t live here anymore. I know they told me.”

After I started breathing again, I told them that was correct.

They are pretty excited about earning money doing chores. Reese even asked if he could babysit to earn money. I told him yes and he said, “and you’ll pay me?”

I said, “no I won’t pay you – there won’t be anyone here for you to babysit. You’re my last kids. You’ll have to babysit for other families.”

Reese waited a few minutes and said, “Because then when we’re grown up you won’t be our Mom anymore.”

Again, after I started breathing I said, “No, I’ll always be your Mom. Even when you’re all grown up I’ll be your Mom.”

He said, “No, I’ll have a job and make money and be grown up and you won’t be my Mom anymore.”

“I’ll always be your Mom.”

“Always?”

“Yes. Always, I’ll always be your Mom.”

Jackson chimed in, “Well, we’ll just see about that Mr. Chubby.”

Maybe I’ll just be Reese’s Mom forever.