Ada started childcare at the beginning of the month. This was, really, the only way to make tax season work, so it was a necessity. After having Ada home with me for the first thirteen months of her life, this was a hard transition for me. I definitely cried at drop-off the first day. It should be noted that Ada did not. Girl loves watching other kids so it was like we’d taken her to the best place on earth.
We are so fortunate that a new facility opened right behind our building. I can literally see in the window of one of the classrooms from my bedroom (but I don’t because I’m not a creep. Plus, it’s not even Ada’s classroom). It’s a gorgeous space with wonderful caretakers. This spring, they are breaking ground on a playground that will be right outside our living room window. I will unashamedly watch when Ada is playing outside.
Being around other kids has already had an effect on Ada. She came home one day and just stood up and walked straight across the living room. Previously, she’d popped up and taken one or two tentative steps, but this was a much longer trek. I credit a little girl in her class for teaching Ada this new skill.
One of the coolest things about the school (and, I guess, about having kids in daycare nowadays) is that there is a special app they use to share pictures and notes throughout the day. All the pictures in this post are from that app. (They also send us pictures of her sitting in a circle listening to music or eating lunch with her new little buddies. While I adore seeing my kid in those social situations, I specifically picked solo-photos to post here).
At the end of the day we get a full summary of everything we did, which is very helpful. We can see what she ate, when she slept, etc. It really helps the transition back and forth. I particularly love hearing about how smiley Ada is at lunch. She loves applesauce and peas and is delighted when either are on the menu. I also love that my fridge is slowly starting to be covered by the art that she makes everyday.
Most importantly, of course, Ada is very happy. Her teachers are wonderful and quick to cuddle her when she’s having a hard time (Ada apparently gets unnerved when the little babies in the other room cry. Oh, irony).