Sunday, August 29, 2010

Daycare Fun!

Hannah’s first week of daycare went really well and if I was honest I’d admit that it was better than I was prepared for.  Once again, God answered prayers in an amazing way! 

Here she is all dressed up and ready for her first day.

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Here are some of the pics showing what it took to get the one above.  1/30 pics isn’t bad is it?  :o)

I am so thankful that Ange encouraged us to visit for a number of play dates before Hannah started fulltime and also to leave her a couple of times.  It made this transition so much easier on her.  Mommy burst into tears once she drove away but Hannah was excited to play with her friends!

Hannah’s first day went really well and she did lots of fun things with her friends.

Snack timeIMG_6779

ColouringIMG_6789

Ball pitIMG_6794

SlideIMG_6805

CarIMG_6824

Craft time where she painted the picture of an apple using an apple as a paint brush!IMG_6831

Her first piece of artwork which is proudly displayed on our fridge!

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Another day this week Hannah came home with a bag of yummy chocolate chip cookies that they had made.  Mmm!

One lesson I did learn from Hannah this week is that there is a definite difference for her between enjoying daycare and dealing with the separation from mommy.  Before this week I always thought that if she was having trouble with mommy being gone that she wouldn’t want to go to daycare.  I was wrong about this.

Last weekend, even before going to daycare but after a week with Grandma and Grandpa, she was very attached to mommy when we were together.  Literally!  We went to a wedding on Sunday and mommy made the mistake of trying to go to the buffet without her.  She was with our great friends whom she knows and loves and whom we’d spent Saturday with but when I left the table she lost it!  I felt so badly for her because even though she could see me 30’ away she went into a deep, sobbing, frightened cry within moments of me stepping away from the table.  I know this cry as I’ve heard it a handful of times but each time it happens it breaks my heart.  In the past it was normally a night-time cry but this time I heard it during the day.  I quickly abandoned gathering my food and went back to the table to scoop her up.  She settled within seconds with her head buried in my neck and arms wrapped tightly around my neck too but in the short amount of time she had been crying it caused deep shudders within her that took a little time to subside.  Poor lamb! 

Monday she had a great time at daycare and in the evening we went for supper with my parents.  It was also a buffet so I took her up with me to get soup but then made the mistake of trying to run up quickly for crackers without her.  She was with my parents and since I was going to be gone less than a minute I didn’t think she’d mind.  I was wrong!!  When I returned to the table she was once again inconsolable and my parents were saddened and somewhat surprised to hear the depths of her cry and have not been able to console her at all.  They were trying desperately to get her out of her high chair as the sounds she was emitting was breaking their hearts!  As soon as I scooped her up she buried her head in my neck, threw her little arms around my neck and squeezed in tight but still continued to sob with such fear that it nearly brought me to tears too.  To know that I had caused this brought on the guilt but it wasn’t about me, it was about comforting and settling my baby girl.  After about 5 minutes the sobbing eased and although the body shudders continued for some time, she was safe, secure and once again by mommy’s side.  As with the day before when this had happened I found myself eating my dinner with a beautiful, protective, soft little arm wrapped securely around my wrist.  She was making sure mommy wasn’t going anywhere without her.

Although Hannah has been happy, happy to go to daycare each day with week and ‘paaaay’ (play) with her new friends she’s also deep down been dealing with our new normal of us being separated for hours each day and dealing with the anxieties that currently accompany it.  Friday was a little tougher for her at daycare as she could be found wandering to the front window and crying out for mommy but Ange would comfort her, draw her back into the activities with the other children and reassure her that mommy would be back. 

Naps are a work in process too as she is used to sleeping in the same room with me during naps and at night.  I am SO thankful that Ange is working with Hannah to establish her new routine rather than following an ‘agenda’ that would probably be the case in a bigger daycare facility.  After the other children are down for their naps Ange takes Hannah downstairs and holds her for her bottle then holds Hannah while breathing slowly and deeply until she falls asleep.  Hmmm…wish I’d thought of this as it is working wonders.  She falls asleep in about 5-10 mins and then she just places her on a sleep mat in the same room she is in.  Hannah is napping around 2 hours each day which is wonderful!!

I am SO thankful for God allowing Ange and I to meet years ago and that He has provided her to care for Hannah!  Thanks Ange!!

While we’re going through these changing times I’m making sure that Hannah and I spend a lot of bonding time together when we are together.  Each night we’ve gone for walks or to a store with her in the Ergo.  Being in a carrier is the way that Hannah feels safest so we’re spending lots of time this way and it’s working well for both of us. 

All this being said, Hannah has done amazingly well with the transition to daycare.  She’s happy to go each morning and there is nothing in the entire world like the feeling I receive when at pick-up she comes running with arms stretched open, saying ‘mamaaaaa’ and wraps those precious little arms around my neck. 

I am forever blessed by this amazing little girl and love her more than words can express!!!

Thank you Lord for once again answering prayers and for Hannah’s transition to daycare going so well!

**Update**

It's now Tuesday of the 2nd week at daycare and reality for Hannah has set in. She's happy, happy to go but the tears when I leave have started. It's SO HARD to leave her when she's crying but I know it's what I must do and that she will settle. For almost 10 months I was the one to comfort her 99% of the time that she was upset and now when she's crying in my arms and clinging to me I have to pull her away and give her to other loving arms. There is nothing more I want to do than to hold and comfort her but I know that if I prolong our goodbyes it will only make it harder. Ugh!!

I know this stage will pass too but it sure is rough leaving her when she's crying, calling out for mommy and reaching for me. Tears my heart strings!! I'm hoping for Hannah's sake (and let's be honest, for mine too) that this is a quick stage and that she's soon ok with me leaving again.

8 comments:

  1. The afternoons definitely make the mornings worth it :-) Glad it has gone so well, in spite of the buffet line episodes.

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  2. Glad to hear daycare is working out so well! I was reading and doing pretty well until you said she was going to the window to look for you, but then i choked up! What a wonderful caregiver you have for Hannah! Definitely a huge answer to prayer! Love reading your blog! :)

    PS I love the pictures of you trying to get a picture! Here, Hannah...have a roll of toilet paper! haha

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  3. It sounds like Hannah is in such an amazing place for daycare! I did in home daycare for 6 years and helping those little ones learn to nap in a new place can be such a challenge! What a wonderful way Ange had found to work Hannah's at home sleep routine into daycare nap time.

    I have also found it to be common for kids Hannah's age to have no problem in the first several days of daycare and then have a tougher day or two like Hannah did on Friday. This didn't usually last long though. And I really don't think that Hannah could be in a better place when she has to be away from you.

    What an amazing bond you two have. You are such a wonderful Mommy!

    -Jen-

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  4. Love the apple paintbrush...keeping that in my thoughts for a fun project in the future!

    Such a blessing for a wonderful daycare. I remember feeling that same way about the daycare I had Jacob in...he never wanted to leave and always looked forward to the next day. His dad now lives next door to one of the staff from there and she loves seeing him all grown up and continuing to be a part of his life.

    Glad all is going well...many answered prayers!

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  5. Oh the tears are so hard! I'm sure many people have told you this but consitany is the best thing for that! In my daycare the only child that cried at drop off time for more than a week or two was the one whose mom always took her back from me when she cried. So she learned that crying would keep Mommy there. I told her so many times that she just needed to be strong and go but she never would. I'm so glad that you have such an amazing person to comfort Hannah when you can't. I'm sure the crying will end very soon.

    Hang in there. My heart goes out to you both (actually all 3 because I know what it's like to be the caregiver who isn't ever quite as good as Mommy) of you.
    -Jen-

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  6. As a preschool teacher (toddlers) please let me assure you that the crying is brief and they settle fairly quickly. Once they are engaged with the other children and activities its all good. Now you on the other hand, I remember the tears very well with my son. He is in 2nd grade now and does not even want to hold my hand walking into school. This phase will pass and before you know it school will be old hat! Good Luck! (Sharon in NC)

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  7. Hugs and more hugs! I am dreading it!!!

    Keep smilin!

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  8. Oh Catherine, this post is making me teary! I hope you're finding comfort in knowing she's in awesome care. I love what Ange's doing with nap time! Although I'm sure it's hard to see her cry - isn't it great to know she is VERY attached to her mommy! Grace starts pre-school this week... we'll see how that goes!

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