Preschool!

Today Riley's first full week of preschool has come to an end, and it has been quite the whirlwind. I don't think I could be more impressed by her though...

She started at her new Montessori school last Wednesday, and the drop off was beyond heartbreaking.  She didn't cry a ton, but she looked confused and terrified, and had no idea why a stranger was scooping her up and taking her inside. I cried the entire way home, feeling as if I betrayed her and hadn't prepared her well enough. When I picked her up, she was holding onto the fence at the playground with a quivering chin and eyes filled with tears - she was looking for me.  On the way home she asked, "Why did you leave me? I was sad all the day.  I was sad because I miss you because I love you..."

It killed me.

I know it is very good for her on many levels.  She and I are joined at the hip, and she needs to have another adult telling her what to do throughout the day.  She needs to talk more, socialize more, and have more structure.

An hour after picking her up the first day, I got an an airplane and headed to LA.  Again, I felt terrible.  Charley did drop off the second day, and it was ten times worse... I am somewhat thankful for not seeing it - I might have taken her home with me.

And then after four days off of school (because of the wedding in California), it was like starting over again.  But then each day this week has gotten easier and easier, and she is so happy and chatty and exhausted at pickup. I actually had a chance to observe her classroom through a oneway window yesterday, and was completely thrown for a loop.  She was confident, focused, engaged and joyful.  

Although it has been great for Riley, it has been very beneficial for all of us.  I've been feeling more in control this week, and I realized it was because we have a schedule. I hadn't thought about the fact that for three years, I have not had a schedule.  I've had playgroups and appointments here and there, but there has never been a set structure to each day - the babies completely dictated it based on sleep, meals, tantrums, etc.  But now we have to be up and dressed by 8am.  We have to have breakfast before we leave the house (and not just eat a banana in the car because somebody didn't want to eat breakfast).  And I have three hours before pickup, and I am the most productive version of myself during that time...  I wrote some thank you notes, organized closets, prepped lunch and dinner, listened to my music while cleaning the kitchen, wrote a blog post... There is a difference between weekdays and weekends again. It is pretty amazing. It is such a relief to have a schedule - I'm starting to feel normal again.  

Today at drop off Riley told me to leave her and that I needed to go home so she could go to school and play.  One of her classmates grabbed her hand, and the two of them ran off to go greet their teacher.  She never looked back.  Although a teeny tiny bit of my mommy ego was bruised, I finally got to walk to the car without crying.  Today was a good day, and I'm so proud of how adaptable Riley is.  

Congrats little Riley!  

Nora's Birthday and Family Pictures

A Letter to Nora

(thanks to the lovely Rachel for the idea)

Dear Nora,

My sweet, spunky, joyful little bear - you are ONE!  Words cannot express how proud I am of you, and you are still so little and that pride will only continue to swell. I am proud of your fearlessness, of your glowing personality, and of your uniqueness.  I thank God every day that I get to be your mother.  It is a blessing I will never take for granted.

When we chose your name a year ago, we knew that Nora meant "light" in Gaelic.  What we didn't know was that you embody this meaning - you truly are a bright light in our lives.  When you are sleeping, whoever is in the house (whether it be your dad, grandparents, or even Riley) listens carefully for your sweet waking chatter so that they beat out the rest and run to get you.  It is then that we get to experience this shining and contagious joy that is on your face when you are picked up from your crib.  You are always smiling, and your eyes are always sparkling. Making eye contact with you is just magical.

You have a fierce passion for life, and little gets in your way of enjoying and experiencing everything it has to offer.  When it comes to pain, whether it be from immunizations, teething, bumps, or falls, you let out a little cry and move on - you don't want to waste any precious time that could be used better.  

You are little rascal! You are mischievous in the best and most entertaining ways, and although it makes me fear for my future, I love this about you.  You think it is funny to tease your sister by pretending to take toys... you crack yourself up when you squirm out of my grasp when trying to dress you.  When I took you on the airplane to Los Angeles, you would constantly get away from me and book it down the aisle, stopping every ten feet or so to look back with a taunting grin.  You love a good chase, and I just love your sense of humor.

And girl, you can eat!  You eat at least twice as much as your big sister, and almost as much as me. You don't care what it is - you will eat it, and you will like it. 

Nora, you are so bright.  I am in constant awe of how quickly you pick up on things.  You know the purpose of pretty much every household item at this point. You are quick to 
read social cues, and quite often you use them to your advantage. You learn things incredibly quickly, and love mastering tasks and making social connections. You have your own little sign language - you pat your belly when you want to be tickled, you put your feet in the air when you want us to find your shoes and put them on you... I can't wait to start talking with you, and learning more about who you are and what you think.

Although you said mama and dada, your real first word was hi. You say it over and over again with a massive smile and deep voice.  You win over everyone in public, especially in lines.

You learned to walk three days ago (you are actually almost 14 months as I write this letter).  You never took any practice steps or slowly got used to walking - you just woke up and decide you wanted to walk. You figured it out the day of Alexis' wedding in Los Angeles while the entire family was gathered in the front yard for pictures.  You literally just started taking step after step, and then you'd sit down and clap!  Several days later, you are walking the entirety of our yard without pause. 

You are very loving and affectionate - I will never get enough of your hugs and smacking kisses.

Happy birthday sweet Nora! I have already learned so much from you in just one short year. I love you more than you will ever know... I am the lucky one.

Love you,

Mom

Here are a few pictures from your birthday.  We had professional pictures taken in the morning, and then had a lemonade stand party for you later on!