Bye-bye, Friends :(

Today was Chickie's last day at his daycare, Friends Childcare. I remember how nervous I was when he first started there over a year ago-- I was afraid that he wouldn't eat anything, that he wouldn't sleep on the mat, that the teachers would think that he was a weird little dude, you name it. Well, he didn't eat much, but he slept on the mat with no problem, and the teachers totally thought he was a little weird, but they loved him anyway. That's the thing-- the teachers he had really did love him.

Chickie can be a bit slow to warm up. He's not the kind of kid who runs up to people and showers them with hugs and kisses, and since he has a couple sensory issues, he's not fond of being touched unless he knows you really, really well. That's just the way he is. He needs to stand back and assess things and feel comfortable before he dives in. His new daycare is fabulous-- it's big, bright, and spacious, and it's a really well-regarded daycare. I feel great about it-- the folks who run it are incredibly kind and warm, and the teachers are clearly very loving and great with the kids. But you know-- I'm kind of slow to warm up, too, and I hate change. I love familiarity, predictability, and routines (as does my kid... hmmm.... funny thing about apples...) and hate having to feel uncomfortable as I adapt to new things.

Friends was a second home for me, in a way-- these were people that I trusted with the care of my child, and for a mother, that's a big thing. When I left Chickie there, I knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that he'd be loved and cared for for those 8.5 hours until I came to pick him up. Of course, that will be the case at his new daycare, but until I have that sense of ease and comfort that comes with familiarity, I know I'll wonder and worry as Chickie adjusts.

But you know, this will be good for him-- since so many of the kids left Friends long ago and only a handful have been there over the past couple weeks, the structure has broken down a lot, and Chickie even had a home-style tantrum there! Regina was pretty surprised and actually had to put him in a chair to cool down because she was afraid he would kick her as he thrashed around. This is exactly what he does at home (he behavior is another post for another time...) so clearly, he was just SO comfortable there *and* it lacked the structure to differentiate it from the home environment. The structure is what keeps Chickie going and keeps him in line and makes him remember how to behave, and I'm looking forward to that returning to his life (and ours!)

Friends, in some ways, was a total dump. It was a bit messy, it was disorganized, and it wasn't the best physical space, but it was easy and comfortable, and we grew to love it there. When Chickie started there, he was 15 months old. He had a bunch of words and had started walking within the month. He couldn't feed himself and still nursed many times a day. Now, he's 2 years and 4 and a half months old. The kid is a verbal machine. He's a big brother. Amazing what 13 months will do.

Each child at Friends had a journal where teachers would paste pictures of them and write a little bit about what they were doing, and I asked his favorite teachers to write him a note in his book. Here's a little bit of what Patrice wrote:
"I really enjoyed having a child in my class who could talk and express his feelings, and who could also provide some hilarious conversation :) I hope you continue to learn and grow and warm the hearts of everyone you come in contact with from this day forward. I will always remember you. Love, Patrice."

Thank you, Patrice, Karen, Regina, and Jessica! Thank you for taking care of my sweet, quirky little boy. We will miss you!