But I was just remembering the *stress* I felt at the end of last May as I prepared to send the boys off the daycare every day and my maternity leave came to an end. Six months old is a time with lots of changes, and it sure felt like they all happened at once! We dropped the 11pm feeding, started them on solids, broke them of swaddling, and sent them to "school" all within a period of about 2 weeks. They did extremely well with all the changes--I had the hardest time of any of us!
When they first went to daycare, we were concerned that they'd never learn to sleep there. I was worried they'd be sick all the time (that worry was validated, unfortunately), and I was so afraid I wouldn't end up trusting their care givers. The boys couldn't even sit up when they went to daycare last June at 6 months old-they were just starting. They had to be fed their bottles--they couldn't even hold them on their own yet!
It was traumatic to leave First Step in October when we moved to Bridgewater to get out of the Watertown condo. We were so upset to leave the place and the caregivers we were comfortable with. But honestly, the boys didn't skip a beat. They loved their new teachers, adapted to the new schedule, and continued to grow and make progress. Carlos and I adapted as well--now Carlos just gives the director Michelle at the Kindercare a hard time, and she also gives it right back to him. :) The facility at Kindercare is bigger and more corporate, but honestly at the end of the day, I think there are definitely some advantages to the corporate route. They offer a lot more services: the boys have ABC Music & Me classes there, they have an outdoor playground, and there are parties, events, and even field trips for the older kids. Plus, food is included in the price! I hated having to pack the boys' food for the daycare in Watertown. The best part: the Kindercare (probably the top of the line daycare in our area) is still about $400-500 cheaper a month than the old one in Watertown!!
Now, one year after starting daycare, the boys run everywhere, sleep through the night, eat regular table food (nothing is off limits), and are talking and communicating. And, they have friends at their new daycare. I love seeing them sitting around the mini table in the morning with their friend Brooke. They eat breakfast together, and it's just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen.
Their main teacher, Nathalie, really knows them and gets their personalities. She usually will tell me a story about them for the day (in addition to giving me their little report cards). For example, last week, she told me Sebastian has a "little girlfriend" named Alivia (not Olivia, like his owl, Alivia). He goes right up to her, gets in her face, and shakes his body and arms and goes "eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" (read: long e). And she apparently waves back at him. Last week, however, Sebastian was making eyes at Amelia through the window (we were inside and she was outside on the playground). So he seems fickle. How things change: last year it was Adrian who flirted incessently with all the teachers. We even have the report card to prove it: Adrian report card.
They boys make a lot of art at Kindercare, and the teachers almost always take pictures of the boys as they are doing their artwork. I need to make a post of their artwork and pictures with dates. Then I can throw some of the original "art" out. It's just packed away right now, so it makes sense to be able to display it on the blog for easy access later. I wish I'd been more on top of this. I haven't dated hardly any of their projects, so I don't even remember how old they were when they created most of their masterpieces.
Last week, Nathalie asked me to bring in bathing suits, towels, and watershoes for the boys--they will be starting their outdoor water play shortly! How awesome! I'll be off with the boys for the summer, and I am looking forward immensely to spending the time with them. We are going to go to story time at the Ames Free Library on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10AM, and we'll have lots of other adventures. But they will remain in daycare in the mornings on Mondays and Thursdays so that they keep in the routine, don't miss their ABC Music & Me class, spend time with their friends (and girlfriends), and continue to benefit from the structured curriculum there.
Bottom line: I love their daycare, and I'm so glad I've found two places I feel good about leaving them at. But I do wish I had more time with these boys. They are already growing too fast, and I don't love the idea that Miss Nathalie sees more of them than I do!
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