We Did It!

We made it through Day One of the new daycare! I didn't even cry. And I didn't call to check on them! And I only had to talk about it once an hour, on the hour to anyone who would listen to me.

Oh wait, you probably want to know how the kids did. Silly me.

Ryker was blissfully unaware - he did fine. I would have more to report but I didn't quite catch anything that his new teacher told me. I normally am okay at accents, but hers might take me a second. I think I heard that he napped twice and something happened with "poopy" I think. But she's very nice and he smiled at her as we left.

Jack also did great. I understood more about his day. Despite him telling me last night that he was a little bit nervous, he didn't cry and was fine throughout the day. When I picked him up he was on the playground with the other kids. We went inside and he showed me the following things: the bell they ring when it's time to change activities, his bucket, the posters with the "insides of people," his name on his spot at a desk, his chairs, the trashcan, and the plastic barn toy.

He is insisting that we call it "Richfield Monnessori" (not it's correct pronunciation or "daycare" or "school"). I thought that was promising - like he was really claiming it and excited about it. But then in the car he told me that he wanted to "go to that first school." I asked if he knew that the decision was made and that THIS was his new school and he said no. Not sure how that got lost in the thousands of conversations we've had about this. He likes to keep us on our toes.

Visions From My Childhood

You know how sometimes you remember something SO VIVIDLY that it's etched in your brain forever?

Well, one of mine was hiding in my coat cubby at preschool. I'd run up the stairs after my mom dropped me off, rush to the window overlooking the parking lot and wave at my mom as she drove off. She'd have her arm out the window, waving back at me, rain or shine or lighting or snow. I would cry. Then I would run to my cubby and sit there sucking my thumb.

I'm fairly certain all of that happened but here is where it gets fuzzy. In MY version, I did that every single day for the entire year, which I'm fairly certain did NOT happen. Also, I remember thinking that my mom went home and watched soaps and ate bon-bons, which DEFINITELY did not happen.

So fast forward to the present. Grandmommy was talking to Jack this weekend about starting the new school on Monday. And what did he tell her? That he would sit in the corner all day sucking his thumb.

Maybe he doesn't think there are cubbies.

Jack's New Name

First Name:
I asked Jack if he wanted me to tell his new teachers to call him Jack Pants or Mr. Pants (as they do at Chrysalis). He said no. I asked what he wanted me to tell them to call him. He said "Woody."

Middle Name:
Awhile back he told his Chrysalis teachers that his middle name was Bud (and that Ryker's was Teacher).

Last Name:
He still has trouble pronouncing Van Nostrand - so Banjostrand has stuck.

That makes him Woody Bud Banjostrand.

Handling Stress

It's been a stressful few days in the Banjostrand household. And what it's taught us is that everyone handles stress differently.

Ryker is oblivious.
I have panic attacks - or get really hyper.
Chuck gets quiet and tired.

Jack?

Jack goes to his room and spreads diaper cream on his couch.

Whatever works.

Miracle Drug

Say your preschooler wakes up all weepy and has a fever. And say then you give him some Tylenol and wait an hour or so. And then say you give him some Gatorade because you don't have Pedialyte.

What happens? Your child goes into a drug and sugar induced frenzy.

And this is what it looks like...

Things that are HIGH-larious

According to Jack (a.k.a. Humor at 3 Years and 8 Months):

• When you kiss him and you both make the puckery sound at the same time
• Saying "WWWHHHHAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTTTTT?!"
• Being chased
• Ryker grabbing his hair
• Powder in his underwear (don't ask - we do what we gotta do to have peaceful mornings, alright?)
• The part of the NKOTB song "Step by Step" where they say "Step ONE! We can have lots of fun!"

According to Ryker (a.k.a. Humor at 11 Months):

• Blowing kisses (he can't do it yet, but it's VERY amusing when YOU do it to him)
• Unloading the dishwasher
• Walking funny
• Jack
• Being wiped during diaper changes
• The suggestion of food

Daycare Hilarity

Well, we've made our decision. The kids will be going to Richfield Montessori. We're excited about it, but sad to leave Chrysalis.

One unexpected benefit to doing this search was that it provided us with many laughs. "Hilarity" was probably too strong of a term, but I needed a title for the post and "Daycare Sort of Funnies" didn't have the same ring.

I won't name names here, for fear one of our readers sends their kids to the daycare I'm about to rip on. Here is the Top Six (I tried for ten but didn't quite make it) List of Things We Heard/Saw and/or Were Told in Our Daycare Tours:

6) (After being asked what their curriculum is for toddlers) "Curriculum?! For TODDLERS?!"
5) "Oh, and if you pick OUR school, we'd work right away to get him to stop sucking his thumb." (This was after only 20 minutes with our family and zero questions about why or when Jack does it.)
4) (Told to our friend, referring to traceable sandpaper letters) "I forget what that does, but it helps them."
3) (At a Montessori school, when asked if they do strict Montessori or a hybrid version) "Oh no, Montessori doesn't really work anymore."
2) "We have to lock up the swings and other playground stuff every night because people come and vandalize them."

And my personal favorite:

1)"We teach our kids to read by 11 months." (This from a place that has a misspelling in their daycare's name.)