KDUNK

Dear Lili,

Today was your first day of Practically Preschool. It is a program here in Brooklyn at a local playspace where they host a class for toddlers to get them ready for real preschool. Oh my gosh. What a trip it was.

We spent the morning prepping you about where you were going. We read a little book about Penelope a bear that goes to school. I changed your outfit like 15 times for some reason. I packed your backpack of snacks and you added two items of your own – a broken cell phone and a washcloth. We were off!

We we arrived I think the kids were picking up on the nervous energy of the mothers in the room because there was lots of clinging and crying and NO! and various other toddler outbursts. But soon the teacher Lauren took control and quickly got your attention with a combo of stories, music, snacks, art projects, etc.

Here are some of your highlights in bullet form:

• The minute we walked in the room you said MAS SNACK (more snack in Spanish) MAS SNACK MAS SNACK for the entire 45 minute duration of class (despite the 15 min snack time) and despite the fact you ate a huge breakfast

• There is a boy named Nicolas in your class which BLEW your mind since every night we read a book about a bunny named Nicolas and you literally looked around the room like dude…where is this guy…each time his name was mentioned

• You sat quietly and properly at the table like a big girl. I give myself big props for getting that cheap-o IKEA kids table and chairs a while ago because we’ve been practicing for a while with you and so far so good!

• You asked for 45 helpings from the very patient teacher of water in your tiny paper cup which you dramatically guzzled like I’ve never given you a cup of water in your entire life

• You made a self portrait on a paper plate – middle one

Overall a great experience. It was amusing to watch each toddler in the room with their various ‘isms’ including you. You were snack and water obsessed. Another kid couldn’t stop crying because the teacher wouldn’t sing the song that came after Wheels On The Bus on their cd at home. Another kid melted down during the part where the teacher said to whisper because he thought it meant it was nap time. Another literally clung to his mother’s leg when she made a single move thinking she was going to leave the room.

Kids are so honest and true and hilarious. It was a great lesson for all the Moms in the room who have spent the last twenty plus months devoting ourselves to knowing the ins and outs of our wacky little kids and all their likes and dislikes. The bottom line was hey – here we are – lets celebrate our accomplishment of making it here! And you know what? They’re fine.  We are growing up. All of us.

I only fought back tears once during the end song of ‘You Are My Sunshine’. As I held you on my lap my big girl – at practically preschool – I knew it was time to hold tight and at the same time – start to let go.

xo

Dear Lil,

You are now 21 months – aka the age I can no longer count in months without sounding crazy. In other words – you will be 2 in December. Seems hard to believe.

You are such a little fun buddy to be around lately. You literally crack us up and we crack you up and we are one big pain in sides laughing family. The rest of the time we want to kill each other in our small overcrowded apartment but you know. You can’t have it all.

Right now we are in Maine on a family vacation. It is cold here! But then again your Dad thinks I am being a wimp. I didn’t grow up in New Hampshire so what can I say. For a nap just now I dressed you in a long sleeve onsie, tights, footed fuzzy long-sleeved pjs and leg warmers on top of that. I also put about three blankets in your travel crib. As we know I tend to over due it with the layers so forgive me.

We’ve had a great time here so far and despite you acting like a bored teen the first day but you are starting to adjust. You were so excited to tell me after a walk with Dad about seeing an eagle that you came running up the driveway screaming EAGLE! EAGLE! EAGLE!. You were also excited to report back to Dad that we say a chipmunk on our walk about. You also told Dad the chipmunk was eating a muffin (?) – which was a lie – but that was ok it made up laugh out loud anyway.

Some things you love doing as of late include going through a list of everyone you know before bed. We do this every night and as you might imagine as a Brooklyn kid on a large playground – you know a lot of people. Usually we do it in pairs – matching the kid with their parent or caregiver. You start and I match like this -

You: Charlie

Me: Roz

You: Cheryl

Me: Sylas

etc.

Then right before bed you yell DAY! DAY! and we have to – in the dark – go through our entire day (in order) starting with what we had for breakfast until we went to bed. This routine I love because it helps both you and I wind down from our busy day by reflecting on everything we’ve done. The best is you now chime in with random things that I have to figure out. For example you might say “cello! cello!” and I think long and hard until I remember that’s right. We stopped to talk to our neighbor Nina who was carrying a cello.

Speaking of – you are obsessed with the cello right now. We’ve played you a few Yo Yo Ma (as you call Yo Ma Ma) and you like to imitate his head movements when he plays and then play with a pretend bow. I’m wondering how young I can start you in playing an instrument and hope you keep interested. It would be amazing. The other day our neighbor Nina that tours around the world in a famous musical trio invited us over for a real live viewing of a cello being played. You stood there dumbfounded. Literally frozen as you watched Nina play right in front of your very eyes.

We love you.

Yes I cutting this short. I am starving and need to make lunch.

xo