Nursery School!

Gwennie and Julie on Gwen's first day of preschool, Feb. 8.

By a stroke of sheer luck, and email connections, we found a school for Gwennie. It's a true parent-ed co-op, the kind my grandmother used to run oh-so-many-years ago when I was a preschooler. In fact, I've heard Teacher Maggie and Teacher Dara say the exact same things to parents that my almost 90 year old grandma says to me about my darling daughter. (Don't talk about her right in front of her, she is still listening, etc.) I heard about the school on a Wednesday, visited it on Friday, and started her on Monday. Then I went to storytime on Thursday at the library, and talked to a bunch of women who had been on the waiting list for the school at one point or another. I guess it can be hard to get into, because it's very small.

Gwen goes 3 times a week for 2 1/2 hours, in the afternoon, which is helpful for us non-morning person types. I stay and work one of those days. It's completely experiential, play-oriented environment, with no formal academics at all. Which is exactly what Jim and I were hoping to find. Gwen will have plenty of time for all that when she's ready. Right now, I want her playing with magnets and smooshing playdough ingredients together, and dealing with other kids. And listening and learning from other adults, and being away from me. (What? It's an important lesson.)

Her first-day outfit is very professional, don't you think? She's still big into the princess dresses.

And the goofy. Still plenty into the goofy.

There's about 12 kids in her class, with a good mix of boys and girls. She's one of the youngest, which is a switch for her. It's been interesting to watch her try to integrate into the girls' groups. She's going to do just fine, although she did come up to me on Wednesday in the playyard to tell me she wished Adessa was there. She missed the Valentine's party because of an ear infection, but she was thrilled to get her Valentines on Wednesday. And she's already been invited to a birthday party for this Sunday.

I've been caught up in the moment - the scheduling can be a little difficult, timing Julie's feedings and making sure Gwen's had lunch before school starts (we shoot to get out the door at 12, so she has to eat much earlier than we normally would.) She's taken to sleeping later - it's 8:30, and she's not up yet - so I'm kind of doing a brunch snack thing. Plus, life with a baby, even if she's not a newborn anymore, is kind of a whole series of logistics anyway. So it hadn't quite hit me until I was typing all of that, that I've begun to launch Gwen into the world. That she's about to face social challenges - and successes - that I won't be there to manage. Which is a good and necessary thing, but oh wow. My kid has a class list, and gets invited to birthday parties for kids whose parents I don't know. I've been calling her "Little Person" since she was born - now she's really turning into one. She's going to make friends that I haven't picked out for her! Based on the kid, not whether or not I like the parents! Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

But wait - I get to run errands with only one kid - one snoozy little kid who can't get out of her carrier - this afternoon. I think it will be ok.