Katrina went to Melissa's this morning, allowing me a nice relaxed run at my favorite -- well, only -- park. When I picked her up, I got a few nice surprises. To start, she didn't cry when she saw me. That's a first. She's stopped crying when I leave her in the Y Childwatch, but she always cries when she sees me again, and same at Tonya's. Not this time.
Melissa told me Katrina had had a good nap, a good lunch, and a lot of fun playing, laughing, reaching out and giving things to Melissa, and was very cuddly. Cuddly?! My girl? Are we talking about the same baby?!
But most significantly, Melissa noticed two teeth poking through on the bottom. Sure enough, there are the tiny stubs of teeth! I swear I didn't see them yesterday.
Melissa also gave me a written checklist report of her naps, eating, diapers, etc., just like in full-service daycares. While I don't need that anymore, not being a paranoid first-timer, I still appreciate it. Other than driving back home in the morning in rush-hour traffic, I'm delighted with the care Katrina is getting. (I've known Melissa pretty much as long as I've known Tonya; they're friends and Melissa has helped Tonya many times, has trained to be a preschool teacher, and now is starting her own family daycare.)
But, so much for patting myself on the back for picking up Gabriel so many days from school. Four days in a row, Katrina hasn't taken an afternoon nap. One of those days was Sunday, and that could have been a fluke. But the weekdays this week, she hasn't either. Today, I was determined to get her down for an afternoon nap, and did so, at about 2:15. Which meant: no picking up Gabriel.
Now that I think about it, no wonder. I was picking up Gabriel right before her nap, so she got the intensely fun stimulation of all the parents and kids at the school, not to mention the joy and energy of being with her brothers together again. Then the hullaballoo of getting everyone into the car at school, and out of the car again at home. Plus, 3pm is on the late side anyway, and she gets a second wind. I might as well have been injecting her with caffeine!
Here she is today right after her afternoon nap, happy chatty:
I'm not sure what to do. Not picking up Gabriel from school meant that at 5pm, Katrina was just waking up, and Julian was still asleep. He hasn't napped in days and it shows, so I let him go (he woke up just shy of 6pm, and he still went to bed without trouble at 8:30!). But when I have a chicken roasting in the oven, baby is entering her highest-maintenance neediest time of the day, and 3-year-old is taking a much-needed nap, I really really really don't want to haul everyone out to go get Gabriel. Luckily today Dave was able to get him before 6pm, but I can't count on that every day. I've got to fix this!
Neighbors would be nice. We actually have a neighbor just a few houses away, so close the baby monitor would probably work from there, who also has a daughter at Collins kindergarten (not in Gabriel's class though). But I have no idea what the mom's schedule is, don't remember her name (one of those elaborate and lovely Indian names) and pretty much have only talked to them at Halloween. The house across the street sold recently, but I've never seen who moved in there. I think they have kids since I've glimpsed a tricycle in the garage.
Are we doing the right thing by staying here? Sometimes I wonder. But how do you find something as nebulous and intangible as "neighborhood" and "community?" Well, for how, our little community of three will have to do. And you know, our new neighbors might appreciate a welcome wagon visit from us.
9/19/07
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