preschool. . .here we come!

Well, I did it.

I finally put aside my silly anxieties, made the time, made the appointment (didn't blow it off) and met with a preschool for Cole. 

You can imagine how involved this was for me.  I research the best kind of sippy cup or instant oatmeal for weeks before I settle. . .never mind a place where I will drop off my sweet little baby to be bitten and kicked and scratched by other neighborhood children. . .agh. . .reign it in, Erika. 

It was necessary.  First. . .I got a job.  Well, that's sort of an untruth:  I was offered a job that I really, really wanted but it was for a nonprofit state agency as a breastfeeding coordinator so it paid practically nothing.  I would have had to pay to take this job and put my two darlings in daycare for the part time hours it required.  Story summary:  fantastic job. . .very sad I had to turn it down. 

But it got us thinking.  What if (or dare I say when) I get a full time job again?  How will Cole adjust then?  He's a social little guy that really gets pumped up playing with buddies.  I don't give him many opportunities to play with buddies.   If I can get over that little snobbishness I have about him playing with kids that I find "appropriate" then we schedule playdates.  There's also the anxiety I get when we're playdating (is that a word?) with someone I don't know well and Cole is acting like a normal 2 year old. . .pushing and not sharing well and chewing food and giving it back to me.   It doesn't happen often. . . and he's at the age where Bill and I recognize it's important for his development to be around some buddies. . .without me.  Yes, I'll say it again. . .without me.

So we chose one.  The preschool we chose is in a good town, with good folks and is owned by a family that we know well.  He'll be with 6 little guys for three mornings a week.  He'll have breakfast, play inside, play outside, maybe do a craft and have lunch.  Sounds simple enough.  (Side note:  There are a whole gaggle of anxieties I'm having about what they will feed my baby during meals. . .but I'm taking it one day at a time.)  And I'll have three mornings a week with just Till that I can spend putting her down without worrying about Cole trampling her. ;-)

There is a biter.  And a hair-puller.  And it will be okay.  And eventually, Cole will be comfortable and have fun and make crafts and liter my refrigerator with his masterpieces.  And eventually, I too, will be comfortable with the idea.  Until then, bear with me if I keep talking about it. . .I'm sure this won't be the last time.

Sometimes he looks like such a big boy. . .for just that one second I take the picture. . .and then it's gone.   Here he was last week helping me with the weeding. . .looks like he got more dirt on his face than in the garden.