DITC Goes to School - Take Two

Yesterday was Mikayla's second day at daycare.

I was so upset about having to leave her again. I kept thinking about many different ways to make it easier for her on the drive over. While she did well the previous morning, I just knew that because she now realized what was going to happen, she would flip out and we would have to figure out an escape plan.

We got to the center, took her out of her seat, put on her cute little raincoat and walked up to the door and entered our code. We got to her room and I had this huge knot in my throat. We opened the door and she looked in. Her eyes got really wide and she had a confused look on her face. I just knew what was coming. I could see it a mile away. I looked at Cullen and was thinking, "Oh, shit." when I hear her start screaming, "POOOOOOOOOH!" I looked down at her and she still had the wide eyes, the confused look, but now she was pointing to where the other little kids were playing. I glance over and I swear to you, I see Winnie the Pooh sitting down with his back to us, playing with a toy. The next thing I know, Pooh is starting to stand up and it looked so real (again, guys...I promise we're not on crack). Pooh turns around and it's a little boy in a costume! Now, what parents puts their kid in a huge costume like that to go to daycare...ALL DAY LONG?

While I was trying to figure out if Cullen has dropped some shrooms in my morning water, Mikayla had walked over to the table where they eat and plopped her butt down in a chair. She looked over at the girl's plate next to her and she snatches an apple and starts chowing down. That's my kid: the Food Thief.

Cullen and I walked over to her, kissed her and said, "We'll see you tonight. I love you." She didn't even look up. She waved and said, "Bye, bye."

All that time planning the escape route was not necessary. Once again, we realized just how much she is growing up. And, once again, I cried all the way to work.

The Demon in Toddler Clothing - Off to Daycare She Goes

Kinda sounds like a story book title, huh? Well...maybe not so much.

As my family and friends know, I just started working full-time again last week after being a Stay-at-Home Mom for 10 whole months. Those months were at times fabulous, scary, funny, nerve-wracking and all of the other emotions that you can think of and all those that you can't. In the end, I loved being at home with Mikayla and seeing her change more and more everyday.I started my new job last Wednesday and, thankfully, my mom was here for a visit until Sunday. So, while I was off at work those first three days, Mik got to spend some good quality time with her Nanny and we felt that it would help transition her into daycare.

Her very first day at daycare was on Monday.

As we walked in, I was holding back tears because I just knew that this was not going to be fun. We walked to her room and the second she saw all of the kids you could see her eyes just light up. She wanted down to play, so Cullen put her down and she started playing with a red ball while watching the other little kids run around. We kissed her goodbye and we left. I cried all the way to work. I called the daycare twice that day to make sure everything was okay and of course it was.

As soon as the clock hit 5:20 pm, I was running out the door and thinking of the fastest way to get to the daycare (it's only 1 mile away). I pull out of the parking lot and get stuck in traffic on 156th for the next 20 minutes. As soon as I got there, they informed me that they had moved her to a new room at 5:30 because there were only a few kids left. The second she saw me, she screamed, "MOMMY!", jumped up and ran to me, clutching my legs for dear life. I picked her up and she wrapped her little arms around my neck and wouldn't let go. And that was okay with me. I cried...again.

I talked briefly with the second teacher and they gave me her report card. She did great all day long until parents started picking up their kids. Then, she started getting a little freaked out. She took her normal 2 hour nap, ate like a champ and they gave me more details about her bathroom habits than I really needed to know.

When we started walking out to the car, she started giggling and looking inside the car. She realized that Cullen wasn't there and immediately started screaming, "DADDY! DADDY"! I put her in her car seat and explained that we would see him in a little while at home. She was so upset that I called Cullen (Cece had picked him and Shawn up from the gym and was giving him a ride home) who didn't answer his phone. More screaming. So, I called Cece's cell phone and Shawn answers. I told him the situation and decide that we were going to meet up just down the street at the QFC so Mik could see Daddy faster. We pull up next to their car, he comes over and gets her out of her chair and she is so excited to see him. Then...she sees "Ennie" and wants to play. Mommy and Daddy want to go home and eat. You would have thought that I killed her dog. We all make a parental decision for our safety to go ahead and all eat dinner together at Canyons. For the most part, dinner went well.

We drove home, relaxed with our daughter and at 8:00 pm, off to bed she went. Talk about a long day.