Love it!

Well, Punky survived her first week at daycare with only a few minor meltdowns.  In some ways, I think it was much harder on us than it was on her.

Her dad had drop-off duty all three days and he had a rough time coping.  She was excited to go to school, but the minute he'd turn to leave she would burst into tears.  It was utterly heartbreaking for him.  As you'd expect, one of the teachers would grab Punky and tell him to go.  They would get her calmed down after a few minutes but her dad suffered all day just thinking about it.

He also picked her up on the first day but the next two were mine since he had to work.  When I walked in on Thursday, she certainly didn't seem upset.

"Mommy! Mommy!  Hi, Mommy!  School!  School!" she yelled and spun in a circle.  "Love it!"

Hmmm, she loves it.  Well, okay then.  Not quite the reaction I was anticipating but I guess it's the best one possible given the alternatives.  I mean, I certainly didn't want her to hate it...but she could've missed me a little bit.  It took forever to get her out of there; she didn't want to leave.  All grown up...at two.

She is having some trouble with transitions.  I thought that would be the hardest thing for her and I hit the nail on the head.  She is used to doing what she wants, when she wants.  If she wants a snack, we give her one.  If she wants to color for an hour, we let her.  If she gets bored with something after two minutes, we do something else.  All with reason, of course.

At daycare, life happens on a schedule.  Once she gets involved in one activity, it's time to transition to something else...and she has a meltdown.  She's fine again once they get into the next activity...but then it ends and the tears come again.  

I know it must be hard for her to understand why they keep stopping her when she's having fun.  Those are moments we embrace in this house.  If she is happy and amusing herself, shit gets done.  We let her play it out and when she's ready for something different she tells us.  I'm sure it will get better as time passes and she adjusts to the whole routine.

She's amusing the hell out of her teachers.  They crack up at the things she says and the way she says them.  I guess they never heard a two-year-old say, "Holy moly stromboli!" before... 

First Day of School

I've gotten nothing but positive remarks from all the teachers about how well she talks for her age, the crazy vocabulary she has, and the fact that she tells them colors, numbers, letters, and counts things.  "She's so smart! I can't believe she just turned two!"

Aaahhhh...music to a mother's ears.  Oh, shut up and let me enjoy it.  I'm sure the day will come when the conversation at pick-up time revolves around Punky decking some kid for taking her toy, or throwing one of those ever-lasting temper tantrums, or slipping a four-letter word she heard at home.  It's only a matter of time. 

Yeah, she is a smarty-pants, no doubt about it.  But she's two, and she's good at it.