School Days!

After months of searching for a new “school” for Lyla, she has finally been enrolled! I have been looking at schools for her since Brudder was still just a (really big) bun in the oven, having difficulty deciding what was best for her. Part time? Full time? Montessori? Preschool? Daycare? A Mother’s Day Out? I visited over a half-dozen places and scoured the sites of several more. The church across the street from my mom’s house has a Mother’s Day Out type of preschool that seemed ideal. It’s just two days a week AND it’s right across the street from Gia. We were exactly one day away from having Lyla tested for placement at Keller Montessori when we got the call from Compass that they had an opening for Lyla. Thus, we concluded that it would be better for Lyla to go to part-time and get more Mommy-time and enable us to have a little more time to save up. In August, we will probably enroll her in a more “school” type setting, such as a Montessori. She’ll be 3 ½ then and have her few remaining potty issues resolved.

Lyla has had three full school days so far, and she’s really enjoying it. She’s a little confused about where her old friends and teachers are from the ECDC, but it seems playtime in the “Garage” (an open gym-like room with scooter-cars and bikes, etc.) trumps any hesitation she might have toward the unfamiliar. On her very first day, both Daddy and I dropped her off. If she was the slightest bit nervous, we didn't notice. In fact, I had very little time to snap any photos because she ran, yes ran, full speed into the foyer, and we had to chase her down before she got lost in the mix of kids! She used the potty first thing, then settled in beside another little girl for a fine motor table activity. I am so grateful that she made it so easy on us! I love that my girl loves school!

I am trying to take advantage of “school” as much as possible, from finding some time at the gym and doing grocery shopping sans She-Who-Likes-To-Run-Down-Aisles to spending some time in the house getting some cleaning done minus She-Who-Immediately-Undoes-All-That-Is-Clean. And when Flint naps, I have even managed a small amount of “Me-Time,” which has been very refreshing. Another benefit from the girly’s school attendance is that I am further encouraged to structure her days at home. Since it’s really important that she be awake and nourished the mornings of school, we are trying to follow the same-ish schedule as we do on those days. This means early to rise for everyone. But it also means nap, or at least “Quiet Time,” which Lyla has taken to surprisingly well. Which gives Mommy another opportunity to get things done!

As we fall more into our new routine and Lyla has more school experience, we are hoping to start hearing more about her days there, the friends she is making, her interactions with her teachers, and the exciting things she is learning!