New Daycare: So far, so good

Yesterday was N's first day at her new daycare, a Catholic school that also has childcare, infants to preschoolers. Here's how it went down:

Sunday
N: Happy. Did the usual: reading books, playing with toys, requesting happy days, napping, watching SuperWhy, dancing, pooping in the tub, etc.
Dad: Mostly happy. Occasional worry about Monday. Did the usual: played with N, read books, watched TV, changed a lightbulb, freaked out about poop in the tub, etc.
Mom: Not happy. Stressed. Completely freaked out about Monday. Did not do the usual: hid tears, read N books about sharing and going to school, wallowed, hid happy days, fished poop out of the tub, etc.

Monday Morning
N: Woke up, snuggled with Dad, snuggled with Mom, got ready, Dad drove to school. Played with farm toys and cars and books. Total and complete meltdown when Dad left. "Daddy gone. Daddy gone." Went to breakfast with new friend, Rachel (head teacher), and stopped crying. Didn't eat much. Played more afterwards. A few tears on and off.
Dad: Stayed for a little while at school to play. The other toddlers commanded him to read them books and he obliged. Left and kissed Norah goodbye, and felt heartbroken. Then lingered in the hall to see that she had stopped crying on the way to breakfast and was being held by Rachel. Felt a little better and left.
Mom: Tried not to cry all morning and tried to focus on work. Waited desperately for Dad to come home with some information. Envisioned the worst.

Monday Mid-morning
N: Playing and having fun with baby dolls.
Dad: Came home and calmed down Mom. Then did whatever. Who cares.
Mom: Felt a little better when Dad came home, but called the daycare around 10:30 to confirm she was doing okay. She was happily playing baby dolls. Started to worry about lunch and nap time.

Monday Afternoon
N: Ate a little lunch. Napped for 2 hours! Played all afternoon with NO TEARS!
Dad: Did errand for his mom.
Mom: Still worried, but less so. Worked. Ate my feelings and blew my Weight Watchers Points.

Monday Evening
N: Played in the gym at school because the weather wasn't the best. Made new friends and also voiced her opinion on sharing.
Mom and Dad: Mom did a really quick lunch so she could bail a little early on work and they went to the school around 4:30. There were no kids in the toddler room. Before I could freak out, a dad whom had come in with us said, "They must be in the gym." We followed him down the halls lined with little winter coats and construction-paper turkeys and found the gym entrance. I grabbed Dad's arm and we held back for a few minutes, watching N play. She was holding a big purple ball, like the kind you play kickball with, and grinning. Rachel told her to kick it, and she set it down and took a mighty toddler swing with her short little leg and fell down giggling. Then another little girl ran up to her and yelled, "Your dad's here!" and yanked her up by her arm. Norah looked around and then spotted us. She ran, all smiles, and crashed into me for a hug.

We talked to Rachel for a little while and she said the morning was on and off happy, but that her afternoon was great. She said for a first day, she did amazingly well. I fought back tears of joy and thanked her profusely.

We went back to the toddler room and Norah showed us all the toys and dolls she liked, and the finger puppet Pilgrims they had made that day. It was nice they were allowed to celebrate holidays, unlike Old Daycare. All the kids names were also up on the wall in different places; on little snow boots, on birthday balloons, and on gum balls, and Norah's name was already up with all of them, as if she'd been there all along.

I know it won't be perfect, and that the transition period will be trying, but this seems like it will work. I really, really hope it does. Cross your fingers for us.






 

The Versatile Blogger Award

Thank you for this award, Daily Dose of Dahl! I am honored that a talented writer such as yourself even reads my blog!

Here are some known and little knows facts about me:

1. I started dating my husband when I was 16, got married when I was 19, and am now 32 and still happily married. 

2. We waited 11 years to have a child. But we got a winner!

3. I have a MA in English. Yeah, that's useful.

4. I'm working on a book. (It's the law if you majored in English.)

5. I hate getting mail and think physical letters, bills, and junk mail should be outlawed. 

6. I love Yo Gabba Gabba, and I'm not ashamed of it. 

7. I enjoy winning awards and welcome any future awards. (Thanks for that one, Kristi!)   

Thank you again for this recognition. 

Check out these awesome blogs for lots of laughs:

Daily Dose of Dahl

Bad Moms Club

In Through the Out Door

Spilled Milk

Hyperbole and a Half

Motherhood, WTF? 

Daycare update

Well, Norah doesn't go to that daycare anymore. I just couldn't deal with it anymore, and I didn't want Norah to have to deal with it, either. I emailed the director a brief, professional message (opposed to my wishful thinking email: "Fuck off. Norah's out!") and she didn't seek any explanation or anything, so I dropped it.

Now the search is on. We've got three leads. One of them said she'd call me back yesterday and I've yet to hear back. Thinking of writing her off, but trying to keep an open mind.

In the meantime, the grandmothers are taking her more often and Ryan is asking for more evening shifts.

I'm really sad about it. Everyone is asking me if I feel relieved, but I'm a little heartbroken. Norah loved the infant room so much, and so did I. And she really appeared to be doing so much better in the toddler room lately. I am frustrated because I don't understand what happened. And I will miss a lot of the people there. One gal even found me on Facebook and said she'd really miss Norah. That was so nice. I'm also terrified at the prospect of a new daycare and the transition period that will inevitably occur there. I hate it when things are up in the air, and just knowing that it's going to be hard on Norah gives me a feeling of dread every time it comes to mind.

So. I don't want to have two blog entries that are depressing.

The other day I think Norah gave me a birthday present. It's not my birthday, but Norah loves birthdays, so I wasn't shocked or anything She set her little potty chair wrapped in Go Go's blanket down in front of me, and then proceeded to whip off the blanket, yelling "Happy day!" There were four little Hotwheels in the potty chair.