Brenna's first week of school (daycare)!

Tomorrow completes Brenna's first full week of school.

The children have to be 18 months to go to her daycare because it's meant to be a preschool. Even though Brenna will be only 15 months on Saturday, they let it slide because the owner is a friend of a friend. So, the next youngest kid in Brenna's room will turn two in a month (and I've never actually seen her, so I'm not sure she exists), and her classroom is really a small group (4) of two-year-olds. The majority of the kids at the school are three to five.

It's going pretty well so far. The little girls there got excited when she returned on her second day! They act like she's their baby and they give her hugs and say things like, "I love your shirt, Brenna," when she arrives. And, thanks to her cousin Maura, Brenna thinks she is one of them, so I think it will be good!

Of course I had to do pictures before leaving for the first day. I hope that she didn't notice the other kids weren't wearing one-piece bubble outfits or she was the only one that had a pack of Size 4 Cruisers for her cubby (rather than Pull-Ups or nothing at all). But, she did have on her new big girl sneakers, at least!

And she took a big kid Lunchables!



And snacks to share with her new friends.

I have since bought her a Disney Princesses lunch bag so she is not the lamest kid at school with her brown paper bag.

Honestly, it was hard in the mornings at the beginning of the week. The first day we both dropped her off and she cried when we were leaving, and reached out for us in desperation. It was heartbreaking. But, we listened and she stopped crying shortly after to play. Since then, it's been getting a little better, and Jamie's doing the drop-offs now (thank God, I did all of it myself last year). He said that today she kicked her feet in excitement when she got there and ran and gave her teacher, Miss L., a hug. I was so happy to hear that!

I spoke with the owner, Miss H., yesterday, as we were leaving for the day (I get to do the pick-ups, yay!). She said that the parents that come to pick up their kids say that Brenna is so cute and one mom thought she looks like a Baby Gap model. I'm sure she was just trying to lay it on thick, but I am a sucker for compliments! Miss H. said Brenna loves being outdoors and is very physical on the playground, almost more so than the older kids, and she really stands up for herself. She insists on sliding on the big slide, and if she falls at the bottom, she just brushes herself off and runs back to the ladder. She's eating really well. Napping will be an adjustment (they are supposed to nap on a mat for two hours, and Brenna finally stayed asleep for the first time today), but she's doing just fine. She said that Brenna cries when Miss L., her teacher, leaves the room, and while that might be sad/a sign of clingy-ness, I also think that is a good sign that she feel close to someone there that is not a relative.

It's not that long of a day. Jamie drops her off at 8, and she plays from 8-noon, eats lunch, takes her nap, and I'm there to get her from her nap. These days, we're home before 3:00.

The only main problem we have right now is Brenna's biting, which she began today by forcefully biting 3 kids in her room, and a 5-year-old across the hallway. I would have never known about the 5-year-old if she hadn't told me herself as we were leaving. "Bye, Brenna! Um, Brenna's Mom? Brenna bit me today."

And, considering Brenna thinks getting yelled at, and being told NO are hysterical, this will be an adventure. Her teacher said she does not respond to getting yelled at. I know...

But, overall, she's doing great, she seems happy (and exhausted) and we are really relaxed and comfortable with our new situation. We do miss you, though, Aunt Kelly! Brenna misses her dance parties.