Day Care Woes

So for the last two months, we have been struggling with a decision regarding WP's day care.  As most of you know, in an ideal world, we would be able to afford me being a stay-at-home mome (SAHM) but unfortunately, that is not our reality right now.   Since hiring a nanny is way to expensive and we don't have family close enough by to watch WP (and eventually CE) on a regular full time basis, WP is in day care.  For the past nine months, he has attended a day care (O.A.) that we liked and WP seemed to be happy at.  However, in the last two months, some things have arisen at this day care that displease DH and I to say the least.

First, in April, WP fell and bumped his head.  The fall caused a nasty little bump and bruise to form and he was purple and blue under both of his eyes and in between his eyes.  Certainly, the fall should have resulted in a phone call to DH or me (if not both) to notify us about what had happened.  However, no phone call occurred and we did not become aware of WP's fall until DH picked him up at the end of day (and well after Will's doctor's office had closed for the day).  Luckily, DH was fine and the bruise was basically gone by the next morning.  However, in my opinion (and I think most mommy and daddy's opinions) the failure to notify us and let us determine whether WP needed to be seen by his doctor was inexcusable.

Over the course of the next four days, I made efforts to speak with the director of the day care but she was out on spring break.  While I can appreciate her need to enjoy some time off, she really should have left a message on her voice mail indicating when she would be returning and providing contact information for the person in charge during her absence. 

Anyway, once she returned my call, my feelings of concern were not eased.  So I began considering switching WP to a new day care facility but I was worried that a switch might cause him to become upset as he seemed so happy.  I decided to let him stay at O.A. giving the school another chance.

Well, yesterday basically sealed the deal that as soon as we could find a new spot for WP at another day care we would be moving him.  This week is transition week at O.A. (basically the kids go to their new classroom for 2 hours/day to get to know their teachers before fully moving up starting June 1).  We were so excited that WP would be moving to the toddler room where some of his friends with earlier birthdates had already moved to.  We anticipated that WP might have some seperation issues as he was so used to his current teachers and environment so we were not surprised when we heard that he cried for a little while and wanted to snuggle upon first arriving in the toddler room.

What we did not see coming was the conversation both DH and I had with the director yesterday.  It appears as though O.A. would like to label WP as a problem child because he is a 12 month old little boy who doesn't walk independantly, still prefers baby food over table food and is a little fussy during this transition period.  So instead of moving WP up, the director told us she wanted to move him to the "tee-tots" room until he was more "up for the challenge of the toddler room."  Well hello mouth, meet floor.  The first we heard of his crying the whole two hours was yesterday during my phone conversation with the director, which means someone is not telling me the whole truth (either WP's current teacher, who indicated some fussiness which ended after a few minutes, or the director).

I tried to explain to the director that WP was not the only child preparing to move up who was not walking on his own and that one of his little friends who is about a month older (and already moved up to the toddler room) wasn't eating table foods when she transitioned up...to no avail.  While the director said that the decision was up to us, she advised against it.

Now of course, DH and I want to do what is in WP's best interest.  But we believe that moving him to the tee-tot room where he would still be the oldest child in the classroom surrounded by children several months younger than he is is not going to encourage him to begin exploring more table food or even begin walking on his own (he has been cruising for almost 3 months).  Instead, we felt as though WP was getting the "shaft" and the "problems" would only be further frustrated.

Oh and did I mention that somehow our son's school pictures never happened.  Now while this is only a minor thing, I don't appreciate being told that pictures were taken only to find out that he actually cried during his scheduled day but nobody bothered to tell me so the two make-up days set for the following Monday and Tuesday came and went without WP having new pictures taken.  Yeah that's just another big old fat minus sign in the books for O.A.

Anyway, after the events of yesterday morning and talking to DH and my sister (she's raised three kids so she's got a definite insight to all things parenting), I started calling around to some of the day cares we liked during our initial search for WP to see if there was anything available.  Amazingly, and by the grace of God, the day care that was our first choice originally (didn't end up there due to there being no space available when I had to start back to work) had one spot open for WP's age.  By the way, it happens to be the day school affiliated with our Church which makes it even better!! So, I took the spot without a second thought and we turned in WP's notice to O.A. yesterday evening.

This morning, when DH dropped WP off, the director said hello but didn't mention our notice.  So DH called her to discuss what our obligations were concerning two-weeks notice, etc.  She acted like she was really shocked and upset about our decision and assured DH that she would be contacting me this morning to discuss the situation.  It's now 2:50 and I still haven't heard from her...her failure to follow through on a promise simply reconfirms my concerns regarding letting WP stay at O.A.

I went and toured WP's new day care today and am so happy to report that I finally feel at ease with where he is going to be.  And they have room for CE when she's ready which is like icing on the cake!!  WP starts at the new school June 1st and he will be a "Bunny" until August when he and the 7 other students in his class will become "Kangaroos."  All of the students move up together until they reach Pre-K so as long as he is at this school his classmates will stay the same for the most part and they will move up as a whole class.

While I would still prefer to be able to be home with my sweet boy, I feel better that he will be in a place where he is not shunned if he crys or has an off day.  Not to mention he will now be less than five minutes from my office...there is some comfort in that.  For those of you that have listened to DH and I over the last several months (and especially yesterday) while we struggled with this ever so important decision, thank you for your concern, your prayers and your patience!

It's almost the weekend!!!

Who's ready for the weekend???? I am that is 100% for sure!!  We have a busy weekend ahead as we prepare for our open house which will be on Sunday afternoon.  There will be lots of house cleaning and organzing going on around here come Saturday! 

Last week, WP caught a stomach bug at day care so I was home with him Thursday and Friday.  He lovingly shared it with Mommy and it seems as though Daddy is getting it now too.  However, we still went to South Carolina as planned.  With me entering the third trimester June 1st, our travels will become very limited so we wanted to make sure we got up to SC to see everyone at least once more before sweet CE makes her entrance into the world.  We had fun visiting with DH's grandparents, Mom-Betty and Papa.  We also had a good time going to Clemson for lunch and to check out the new memorial built to honor Clemson graduate who have made the ultimate sacrifice.  Daddy Bill made blueberry pancakes on Sunday morning which were a big hit with WP (but sadly, I didn't get any pictures).

Below are some photos from our trip to SC and from this week - enjoy!

In other news, at almost 12.5 months, WP is really becoming interested in table foods (FINALLY!!) and becoming a little talker.  Right now, WP enjoys pancakes, grilled cheese, waffles, animal cookies, strawberries (a few bites anyway), canteloupe (a few bites anyway), cheese cubes, vanilla waffers but still fights green beans, sweet potatoes (even the fries), and carrots.  WP can say "bye-bye", "dog" and "night night"...he still says "bah bah" for bottle.

Celebrating WP's First Birthday!!

Last Saturday, we celebrated WP's first birthday with many of our family members and friends.  Thankfully, the weather stayed nice even though we were suppose to get a significant amount of rain.  We grilled out burgers and hotdogs and enjoyed celebrating our little man!!

Mom-Mom and WP

Mommy, Daddy and WP

So proud of our little one-year old!!

What is that shinny thing....

So many wishes for our little man

What is this stuff?

Mommy why do you want me to put all this stuff all over myself?

My very first football!!

Playing with the big boys

Papa catching some shut eye

Helping Daddy get all the parts out of the box

Daddy and WP with Daddy Bill and Papa

And here are a few photos from earlier in the morning before everyone came for the party...

Big Brother!!

Happy Birthday

Dear WP,

Today, you turned one!! Mommy does not know where the year went. Sometimes when I close my eyes, I flash back to the week you were born. The sense of anxiousness and excitement growing as we neared your due date – Mommy and Daddy could hardly stand the waiting.

On April 30, 2009, Mommy and Daddy’s day started out like any other day…we both headed off to our respective jobs thinking we still had a week (at least) before we would meet our sweet boy. However, as the day progressed, my back started hurting. I just assumed it was late pregnancy back pains until your Mom-Mom quickly mentioned that all of her labors started with moderate lower back pain. Well that was enough to get my hopes up that you might arrive sooner than your estimated due date (May 9, 2009).

At 5 pm on April 30, 2009, Mommy’s water broke! You were on your way!! Daddy quickly headed home and then we headed to the hospital. After 15 hours of labor (13 with out pain medicine), you were ready to make your grand entrance. At 8:21 am, on May 1, 2009, you arrived, a healthy 7 lbs 6 oz. You were absolutely perfect and Mommy was head over heels in love from the moment I heard your first cry!! When they put you in my arms, I knew that God created me so I could eventually grow up and be your Mommy!!!

Since those first precious moments with you, I have found myself falling more and more in love with you. Over the last year, you have gone from a cute fussy mess of a baby trying to figure out night and day to a handsome brave little boy who knows no limits. Now, when I look at you trying to walk, I wonder where did my little 7lb baby go? How can you be over 20 lbs and a little man in the blink of an eye?

With each new skill you have tackled and mastered, more and more of your personality has erupted. Your laugh fills our house with sweet innocent joy. When you and Daddy play hide-and-seek, you burst into pure fits of giggles that fill every bit of Mommy’s soul with goodness and delight. Your mischievous eyes twinkly with that same goofy boyish charm your Daddy has. We see “the look” most often as you try to escape into rooms you know you are not suppose to go to. You’ll turn around to see if we are watching, as if to say “catch me if you can”, and then you’ll crawl as fast as you can. Faster and faster you go, laughing, as we run to catch you.

At the end of the day, when you’ve had enough, you come reaching for Mommy. Those last few moments before you drift into slumber land, those are Mommy’s favorite. Watching you reach for me so we can have snuggle time, your little sounds of contentment as I give you your bottle, the way you reach out to touch my face in an effort to ward off sleep, and then when there is no more fighting it, the way you burrow down into Mommy just before closing your eyes…these are the moments I will always treasure.

Little man, you are growing faster than the speed of light, but I would not have it any other way. As I watch you grow, I know you will be a strong, independent, confident, caring, respectful, loving, gentle, intelligent man. And that, my son, is all a Mommy can hope for!

Happy Birthday, WP!!!

Love,
 
Mommy