After my Valentine's Day interview, I got a job! So this was my last week as a stay-at-home mom. I'm trading in my 8am alarm for a 5am one; Sesame Street and grilled cheese at 11 for an hour lunch in a break room; and trips to the library for trips to and from work in DFW rush hour traffic. Sophie will also experience some changes and will be spending the day at a nearby preschool. It's going to be a week of many changes and hopefully all will be ok... for both Sophie and I.
Here is my day-by-day update of our first week of changes:
Monday- Sophie went to Preschool for her first day. There was a lot of crying as I left (I got teary-eyed also). My first day of work was Tuesday (the following day), but while Sophie was at school I made a trip to work to figure out the commute time from Soph's daycare. Later when I picked Sophie up (an hour or two earlier) she was happy to see me. I got lots of hugs. She didn't want me to put her down. But when I asked if she had fun at school, she answered "Yeah". However, the teacher did tell me that 'binkies' were not allowed at school, so we figured it's time to start weening her off of them the following day.
Tuesday- Today was my first day of work and Sophie's second day of Preschool. Again she seemed excited to go to school until it was time for me to leave. This time there was more crying (from both of us), but I had to get to work on time for 'badging' and a mini-orientation. Work was good and pretty similar to what I had done at Cessna so I figure that within the week I'll be flying through all the tasks and have to find stuff to do. When I picked Sophie up she was again very happy, but I didn't get a ton of hugs like I did on Monday. Later in the evening though while I tried to make supper she was extremely fussy and threw tantrums. Same way with going to bed. Part of it was the possibility that she might not have slept during 'nap time' at school, or it might have been in part to us 'banning the binkie' at home. Eventually I choked and let her have a binkie for bedtime. But bedtime only. Later, we'll try and even ban her from having the binkie at bedtime.
Wednesday- Today was better than Tuesday, but still not an easy day. I decided to spend breakfast with Sophie, but Sophie realized that I usually left while she was eating breakfast so she figured if she held on to me and didn't eat breakfast... I wouldn't leave. So we spent about 20 minutes this morning at the daycare playing together with cars. She still hasn't really formed any 'friends' there, which I think would really help. Anyway, 20 minutes went by and I had to leave her.... again crying.... again with promises of "I love you" and "Mommy will come back". At work, I arrived early and then (of course) had computer issues I had to work around all day. More and more need to know info and names and faces filled my brain to the brink and I hope when the time comes I'm able to remember everyone, their job responsibility, and what they need from me and I from them. When I picked Sophie up from daycare she was having circle time with her classmates and was very happy to see me. And once she was fed supper, she was the happiest child ever.... before supper.... well... not so happy.
Thursday- Day 4 of Preschool and Sophie is slowly starting to get a little better with leaving me. Yes... she still clung to me the whole time. Yes... she still cried when I had to let her go. But after I dropped her off I stayed behind the 1 way window and watched her. She didn't want the teacher or other kids, but wanted to be left alone to morn the loss of her mommy. However, when her teacher came, she left her corner, dried her tears, and lined up with the other children to walk to their room. That made it easier for me to go to work knowing that she was ok. Since Brian has school tonight, I picked Sophie up and decided to have a "girls night" with her. We went to the library, had supper, watched a movie, and then played together. Fingers are crossed that Friday will be an even better day regarding Sophie and school.
Friday- Last day of the week and Sophie and I are thrilled for a break. Sophie did better today (again.... still crying and clinging) but it wasn't too bad. Work was unusually busy, and it didn't help that I wasn't informed it was casual Friday... and after not knowing this I came to work in 3 inch heels. Anyway, it's been (obviously) a l--o--n--g week. When I put Sophie to bed tonight with a book, she was asleep within 5 minutes.
While LaNelle and Kayla were here we went to Dealey Plaza and checked out the area where John F. Kennedy was assassinated. And as the plaque says outside the building, this previous book depository building is the site where "Lee Harvey Oswald ALLEGEDLY shot and killed President John F. Kennedy". While I agree with that statement, I thought it was interesting that the National government agreed to such a plaque since the federal government has always been so adamant at placing the blame at Lee Harvey Oswald, and rejecting all conspiracy theories.
