First Day of School

  Since Cathy and I learned that we we're expecting we started a discussion about what we would do about child care. We both felt it was important to utilize my working out of the house as the primary means of childcare for the first year supplemented by having Sergio or my mother watch him in cases where I had a job. 

  A month ago our friend Kelly heard that the First Presbyterian Church of Orlando had a program for toddlers at their Little School two days a week for Benjamin and her daughter Bella. The class would be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays and last from 9-2 which was perfect for us. 

  Until FPCO's Little School we had done some research and found that there weren't any part time day cares in Orlando. Or let me clarify. You could send him part time but you were still paying for full time. Ouch!!

  When FPCO's Little School came our way we knew we had an opportunity we couldn't pass up. For starters it only costs us (for all my friends with toddlers or little ones in daycare don't throw anything.) $195 a month. I know! How could we NOT pass it up. Not to mention we hold a priority slot for there very popular 2-3 year-old class for which all the Winter Park parents clamor.

  So Kelly and I carpooled Bella and Benjamin to their first day of class. We were both anxious about how they would react to the new surroundings and new people. We decided that for the first day we would hang out with them for 90 minutes to help stem the anxiety (more for us and not the kids).

  So around 10:45 we left our two 11-month-olds and met with the school administrator to turn in all the required paperwork and checks.  We got our photos taken for the issued security badges to access the classrooms. (As a side note: FPCO has a lot of security measures in place from access controlled hallways to guards around the church's campus. It felt very reassuring to me.)

  When we returned to the nursery room Benjamin was crying out of exhaustion. It's tough for him to calm down for a nap in a new place. I wanted to go in and try some of my proven techniques but knew I needed to not involve myself in order for him to accept his new routine. It was difficult but Kelly and I walked to Starbuck's to get some coffee and give Benjamin and Bella some time without us.

  When we returned Benjamin was asleep in a crib snoring while Bella was trying to fall asleep in a swing. I felt better about leaving him and thought that he'd adjusted. In fact I felt guilty to wake him and take him home so I suggested to Kelly we have her husband Ryan, who's firm is next to the church, meet us for lunch. I hadn't had an adult mid-week lunch where I wasn't working since Benjamin was born. It was refreshing.

  Lunch didn't last long as we had to haul butt to make it for our weekly Gymboree class. Yes we were shuttling kids from one thing to the next. Kiddie cab already. 

  Gymboree was laborious as always. By the end of it I felt like I had put in my cardio time for the day. Benjamin was somehow still awake after school and Gymbo. Meanwhile I just wanted to nap like Rip Van Winkle.

  Overall it was a very big day for Benjamin but he's so adaptable and resilient. My little man impressed his teachers with his abilities to walk and traverse obstacles in the nursery. They admired how happy he was and couldn't get over his speed. 

  I'm pleased that I was able to care for my son as long as I did. I think he will be better because of the close time we had together while he was little. This is an exciting time for our family and I can't wait to see what this new opportunity will bring us.