Browsing Tag

preschool

Daily Life

Katie’s teachers are amazing

Posted on November 8, 2017

Today I am thankful for Katie’s school. When she first started, I was nervous that anyone would be able to work with her energy level and relate to her the same way that I can. When we toured the school and saw all the other kids walking 2 by 2 in the hallway and doing circle time, I worried that K wasn’t capable of listening/following those kinds of rules (I mean, she wasn’t even 2 yet and barely istening to me! ) And here I am now, taking notes on how they do it!

I worried that K wasn’t capable of listening/following those kinds of rules

And then yesterday we had the privilege of bumping into the woman who started the school. She was a Holocaust survivor who concealed herself as a Catholic girl with forged papers. And then here she was sitting next to a photo of herself as a little girl, a photo I had seen on the building wall countless times before and had no idea who it was, and she was telling us her story. She said she started the school over 50 years ago and it was only one day a week at the time, and now it has grown into the amazing program it it today.

I am so honored to have met her and grateful that she put so much work into starting this wonderful program. This photo is a piece of artwork K made at school and they made into a sheet of stickers. Every day she comes home with new art, knowledge, and songs, and I am so grateful for how much they are helping her grow into an amazing young lady.#30daysofthankfullness

Daily Life

Starting to get the hang of having 2 kids, and I get a night out

Posted on June 29, 2017

We were 20 minutes early to school today, which meant I got both kids fed and changed and packed and out of the house by 815! I even got Katie’s hair brushed (because I told her they wouldn’t let her into school if we didn’t brush it. Also yes, this is what brushed looks like). I got her changed and dressed while Belles cried, which meant Jason came out of the room to look at me pointedly every minute or 2 (does he think I left? Or am ignoring her for no reason?)

We left 45 minutes before we needed to be there so we could walk at Katie pace a quarter mile to my car (because street sweeping) and I even remembered a bag of coins for Tzedakah, which is OPTIONAL (overachiever right here). When we got there I told K she needed to give me her sassy (because no pacifiers allowed at school… okay so I’ve been lying to my kid all morning), but she was cool with it. She got her shoes a little wet in the puddle next to the fountain (whatever) and then I realized her 3T shorts were too big and

Breastfeeding, working, and eating lunch

they’re doing a bounce house today, but I had a spare outfit in her backpack (Win!) and we had time to get her changed because we were so early (and yet another win!) Oh and also no tears at drop off! Pretty much feeling like I won the mom Olympics this morning.

“No pacifiers allowed at school” … Okay so I’ve been lying to my kid all morning.

I was also able to get some work done while K was at school.  Belles was fussing so putting her in the carrier and standing to work was the only way.  You do what you gotta do!  And one of these days she’ll have to start sleeping on somewhat of a schedule, right? Right?!  Here I am trying to do a call for work, breastfeed, and eat lunch (okay it was string cheese and turkey lunch meat.)

Movies at the beach solo!

And for the best part of my day!  I got a night out!  I LOVE LOVE LOVE Harry Potter but hadn’t gotten around to seeing Fantastic Beasts yet so tonight Jason watched the girls so I could watch at the beach, kid-free. And it was one of those days where a break from the kids could not have come at a better time!  I got myself some poke, I brought chips and popcorn to snack on, and I brought a big fat piece of cake for dessert. AND I was able to stay awake the whole time.

Daily Life

Katie’s REAL first day of day care and Isabelle is 1/8 done with full-time wear of her harness

Posted on June 21, 2017

Just got back from dropping Katie off at daycare… It was a lot harder actually leaving today than visiting Tuesday. I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but of course I did. It’s funny because I never cried dropping her off at the nanny’s house or the babysitting service that’s also at school, but somehow this feels different.

I told myself I wasn’t going to cry, but of course I did.

I think it’s not so much the dropping her off that was hard as it was the implications of what daycare means. It means she’s going to become more independent, which is a good thing, but it’s hard not to think about her struggling along the way. When I packed her lunch and I packed her a string cheese, I wondered to myself if someone would help her open it. I’m sure they will, and I’m sure she could probably do it herself if she really wanted to, but I can’t help but think that she’ll get frustrated. I know frustrations are part of life but it’s tough to think about your kid struggling. Or rather, it’s tough to think about her being frustrated under someone else’s care. If we were at home and she was struggling with the something I could just say “Why don’t you try to figure it out” and give some guidance if she needed it and wouldn’t feel bad (which I’m sure is literally what her teachers will do too – they might even help more than I would. I’m more the tough love one and Jason is actually the softy.) I guess it’s hard for me to think that she’ll be frustrated and Mommy won’t be there.

I know frustrations are part of life but it’s tough to think about your kid struggling.

I also worry that the other kids won’t be nice to her or share with her. As soon as we got there, she wanted to play with another little girl, and she reached out for a toy and the little girl took it and said “no.” So Katie looked back at me and said “share?” Because I always tell her to share, and then I had to tell her the little girl didn’t feel like sharing right now (while in my head thinking you little bitch not sharing with my kid haha. Jk… kind of). K looked confused and a little hurt but I distracted her with another toy and that was that. Which was a super easy fix but in that brief second that she looked at me, I thought about how I can’t solve all of her problems and I can’t prevent her from ever feeling hurt. I know not everyone likes you and that’s part of life but again it hurts me to think of her hurting. I think what it boils down to is it’s hard for me to think of her going out into the world and becoming her own person, which I know is exactly the goal when you have a kid. I just can’t believe my little girl is growing up.

I can’t solve all of her problems and I can’t prevent her from ever feeling hurt.

Tomorrow we will be at least 1/8 of the way done with full-time wear of the harness (depending if she needs to do 6 or 8 weeks.) It’s already going by pretty fast. On one hand, I can’t wait for her to be able to spend some time out of it and kick her legs and take real baths, but also know it will bring the new challenge of putting it back on every day once she’s had a taste of freedom. But, only 11-13 more weeks until she’s done with everything. One day at a time.