New Preschool

Alex started his first Preschool (Avondale Preschool) today and it was a wonderful first day. We arrived at 8:00 AM and I stayed for about 30 minutes to make sure he was comfortable. He was looking around and stacking blocks before you could even say the word "block". It's the kind of place where I just knew it was right for Alex and our family. There are many things to explore & learn, friends to make, routines to learn, and stability from one teacher (Mia), the same children everyday (she will have one other child starting next week part time and also (of course!) takes care of her two children - ages 4 girl and 2 boy) and one place everyday. Mia emailed me about 2 PM to tell me that Alex was having a wonderful day and slept well, ate well and didn't cry at all when I left. She commented on how much he talks! And boy does he talk! He spent the morning saying Choo-Choo Train over and over again. The home daycare has a dog - just like Bella - a Jack Russell Terrier named Jill and Alex loves petting her.

They also have a snake which after stacking the blocks for a bit - Alex seemed really interested in the snake. His new teacher, Mia, pulled the snake out for Alex to look at it and pet it, if he wanted. He wasn't scared at all - all the while in my head is

"It's OK, you're not touching the snake, no bad dreams about snakes OK?, Slithery icky Yucky snake, icky, I can't believe Alex isn't scared of the snake!!!! But, I have to be COOL! Alex doesn't need to see my fear of snakes.... OK - I'm acting COOL, aren't I?"

and I was trying to show on my face ---

"Oh look! A little snake - Alex loves petting a nice wonderful snake, it's so cute! Mama loves snakes."

Soon enough they put the snake away and I could relax a little.

The Back story: I HATE snakes. I think it goes back to my childhood when I would run around with bare feet and step on harmless snakes in the grass in Eastern Washington. And go horseback riding in the hills and come upon a rattler. It wasn't going to hurt me - I know this. But it's the thought of the slithering snake that gets me. Worms are kinda the same - long skinny animals that slither along the ground. Now, worms aren't that bad for me since they don't have a mouth and no teeth. But, they still cause a little bit of the same reaction in me.

Enough about snakes - it's giving me the willies.

When I picked Alex up - he was happy to see me and said "Home". Mia and I talked about his day and he showed me his art drawing from that day - you guessed it a "Choo Choo Train". We also talked about where we were at on the toilet learning - where Alex was at and what we do at home. She has her kids participate in toilet learning at the appropriate stages, including learning to pull down pants, take off diapers, sit on the potty bare-bottomed, etc. Alex will be learning some of this at preschool and we will continue it here - for consistency. I'm excited from learning about toilet training from Mia. It seems like she knows a lot.

They whole way home Alex kept saying "No No - this way!" "No No - That way!" and getting frustrated that I was turning the "wrong" direction. Finally I told him, that if I turned "this" way - then we would go back to preschool.

He was silent.

I asked - do you want to go back to preschool? It was the quickest "yeah" ever! I guess that's a good sign! I told him we'll go back to preschool tomorrow, but now it's time to go home and see Daddy. He seemed to accept this.

Overall - it was a wonderful day where I knew that Alex was learning, exploring and having fun. Thank goodness we found her!