PRESCHOOL!

Emma started preschool on Monday, August 30th. I finally found a two year old program that we were happy with. It is a very private preschool for 2, 3, and four year olds based in a woman's home who has taught preschool for 38 years! There are two classrooms. The two and three year olds are combined and the four year olds are separte. Her business is basically ran by word of mouth and everyone who told me about it had excellent things to say. She does not advertise and there is no website. Since the preschool is not advertised nobody walking in this neighborhood would not know it is a preschool. It is in a very large, older home that you have to go around the house and to the back to enter. Her yard is beautiful and cannot be seen from the street where the children are playing, which I liked a lot.

It was a huge decision to do this for Emma. We really thought she needed some time away from Hannah just to be around children her own age. Hannah also needs her space. We also thought it would help out my mom by just handling Hannah for a few hours without Emma. Moreover, Emma is learning so fast and absorbing everything it could not hurt her at all to expose her to as much as we can. She already knows every letter of the alphabet, sings so many songs, colors, paints, plays Play Doh, plays so well and copies things that we do, says so many words and is connecting ideas when looking at books and seeing things on tv - she is just a little sponge and is so teachable right now.

One thing we have noticed is that Emma does get very shy when around people she is not familiar with. She is not always herself in a large group, then sometimes she can completely surprise us and is totally herself. But, we also thought this would help with that.

So, Emma is going Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Bo has the job of dropping her off. My mom picks her up early on Mondays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays, because that is the one day my mom works, she stays all day and I pick her up. Hannah goes to a friend of mine on Wednesdays. This week will be the first time on that new Wednesday schedule so we will see how it goes. Emma just went two days last week.

On the first day Emma was pumped and ready with her new Abby bookbag and lunchbox. She was in a good mood and kept saying "school." (We had already been there a few times for her to visit). We both took her that morning for her first time. She did cry when we left her but stopped by the time we left the stairs of the preschool. The teacher said she was shy that day and didn't interact too much, but that it was expected. On Thursday Bo took her for the first time by himself. She cried a little but played a little more that day. My mom said that both times picking her up she seemed so glad that someone she knew was there to get her.

I know this is a huge adjustment for her. She has not been watched by anyone other than my mom, Bo's mom and my sister. I feel confident that she will adjust just fine. We will see how the next few weeks go!