Back to School!

No, it's not really school time here yet, the girls are of course too young; but that's where I told Ava she and Livi would be going today. Just something to try to make the transition easier....for her, and me. I enrolled the girls in Mother's Day Out so eventually I can get back to working. We visited the MDO last Friday and Jeff + I built it up for Ava all weekend, saying how much fun it would be and what kind of activities she and the other kids would get to do....of course I knew this wouldn't make it easy come Monday morning when I dropped her off. And it wasn't...

My heart is hurting. I hard to fight tears when I handed her across the half door crying and clinging to me. Sigh. The director checked on her before I left though and got her blankie for her; she said she had settled down and was reading a book with one of the teachers. I felt only a little better. So I won't get any work done today, just a couple of errands and more unpacking. I basically put myself "on call" for the first day to see how they do.

Livi?? Livi couldn't have cared less that I handed her to some nice little old lady that was happy to see her. She just smiled and cooed. Hopefully she stays that way; it will be the first day she's going to have a bottle. Still Mommy's milk, but not from Mommy. So I worry about that.

I just try to keep telling myself that this happens all the time; lots of kids/babies are taken care of by people other than their mommies. And for goodness sake, the girls are only going for 2 days/week, for now, but maybe 3 in the future...and only 5 hours/day! I think they will be ok, and eventually I will too. Ok, off to pump milk and get these errands done! Update of the first day to follow...

*Update: Everyone was happy when Mommy came for pick-up. I called half way through their day to check on the girls; Ava was eating lunch and Livi was sleeping. However, Livi was none to happy with Mom about the bottle of milk. Apparently she was a little confused and yelled at the nice lady trying to feed her. But she did settle down and was happily rocking in the woman's lap when I came to get her; we'll keep working on the bottle.

Ava was SO excited to see me, made my heart melt even more. She was playing when I came to the door, with her beloved blankie clutched under her arm. The teacher said she was fine; she played, colored, watched Barney (Ava told me that), ate lunch and even took a nap....What! a nap?? How did that happen?? I don't know, but I'm loving it! And she didn't even tell me that she doesn't want to come back, which is all I was hoping for today. So we survived...and life goes on.