Day Care

Taking LPP to his first day of day care.

What I love about having a blog is that I can write about events in my life as if I am the first person in the world to ever experience them.  Because, although I know that there is at least one person out there (but more likely a million) who thinks, "Been there, done that,"(and YES, a million people read my blog),  I can't sometimes shake the feeling that some things are just monumental, no matter how many people have experienced the same exact things.

That being said, LPP just finished his first week of day care. [TRUMPETS BLARE.  CONFETTI FALLS.  ELEPHANTS DANCE.]

I was so anxious about sending LPP to day care.  I was dreading the separation and the tears (from me, not him - KIDDING - sort of).  I visited two day cares in the area, and the one I liked more is only a five minute walk away.  I had butterflies in my stomach when I went to bed the night before his first day.  That next morning, I woke up earlier than LPP.  He woke up and got into bed with me for our morning snuggle, but then fell back asleep.  I let him sleep for a little while and just stared at him in my arms, so peaceful in his slumber.  All I could think was that this little person is growing up before my very eyes.  I left him undisturbed for as long as possible before there was the danger of us being late for our first day, and woke him up gently. K made breakfast, and once LPP was fed and dressed, we all took him to day care: me, K and Brooklyn!

I had been talking to LPP about day care for a few days, to prep him.  He came with K and me to the day care the week before when we picked up the paper work to register him, so the day care wasn't a complete unknown.  In fact, he cried that day when we told him that we had to go back home.  He wanted to stay and play. 

Once we got to the day care on his first day, LPP hugged my leg a little, and then without saying anything, he helped us take off his coat.  And I could see he was pulled between wanting so badly to join the other kids who were curiously peeking out at him from behind the day care worker, and wanting to stay with us.  He ran off to join the other kids and then he reappeared, reaching for my hand and asking me to join him.  I was in the middle of finalizing administrative details and I guess LPP just couldn't wait any longer.  I kissed him goodbye and he ran off and that was it.  No tears (THANK HEAVENS!!).  No big deal.  The best scenario I could have imagined.

At the moment, he will only go to day care two or three half-days a week (he did three this week), mostly to coincide with my teaching hours.  Every time I pick him up, he says on our way out, "I had a GREAT time!"  And he always hugs one of the kids and tells them, "I will be back tomorrow."  He is such a sweetheart.  And I am so happy that he will be able to share his kind heart with his peers and make new friends.

The night before: clothes and linen all ready for day care.