School

Lilly's first day of school!

Last Monday Lilly started pre-school/daycare! We finally decided (and got off the waiting list) at University Children's Center which is located on the campus of and affiliated with the University of North Dakota. It is certainly one of the more affordable options in pre-schools and (to us) seems more structured like K-12 schools - it is not just massive amounts of  playtime and napping...plus they feed the children! There's quite a waiting list and other parents are scrambling to get their children in the school. Lilly's buddies are enrolled there and most importantly they were okay with Lilly not being a full-time student.

For the month of June, Lilly will attend two mornings a week: Monday and Thursday. Come fall, she will have the same schedule. Technically she can be dropped off at 7am and must be picked up no later than noon, but we always bring her in around 8 so she will be there when breakfast is served at 830. We also receive daily reports of what she did in school as an individual and as a class.

Monday morning we both took Lilly to her first day of school. She was very excited! When we got there we put her jacket and backpack in her locker/cubby and she was invited to play with some puzzles. She wasn't really having it and started to ask me to stay with her, but then she was  introduced to the sand table with a few other little girls. She ran over there and didn't even turn around to say goodbye to us!

When we arrived to pick her up she was playing with her two buddies, M & E. She ran over, retrieved her belongings from her cubby, said thanks and goodbye to her teachers and away we went! Even though she had already eaten at school, we decided to take her to lunch to celebrate her big day and of course the kid wanted miso soup, so off we went to Little Bangkok.

Her first report was excellent! The focus of the day was on shapes and it was noted that she played very well with her friends. The teachers remarked to me that she and E were especially close - they always had to be next to each other. At home that evening we were playing with her shape puzzle and she correctly identified the "triangle"! She learned something that day!

Our second day of school we were a little nervous for her since the kids in the class would be new for her. (Her buddies go on different days later in the week). She did fine (and hopefully made some new friends!) By yesterday, her third day of school, everything was easy-peasy. She was praised for writing left to right: Teacher Ashley showed Lilly how to write her name and Lilly drew circles/made marks from left to right when copying her. Apparently that is a big step in writing skills. However it was reported to Brian who picked her up, that Lilly and E were very affectionate to the point that Teacher Gwen had to explain "not invading personal space" to E. Mmm hmmm. All of her reports have also noted that Lilly "toilets" whenever taken and she always has dry diapers! Potty training may be over soon!!

Going to pre-school has been great for Lilly. It has made her more independent, she's learning things and now I have free time too!