Daycare starts tomorrow so let's reflect...

The inevitable has happened and tomorrow is the big day - DAYCARE. Juan and I for the past 3 or so weeks have been taking her daily to the office, but trying to maintain control of the noise, of the markers (and their associated lids) and crayons, in addition to the obsticle course of toys. I also have a bobble head that is missing the head and the one hand, which I am hoping will appear just like the cap to the blue marker. Magically! (This is her dressed up for Sunday)

A lot has happened in the past week or so. We even went to our first mass - well some of us did and the other two ran around outside and you could hear them every once in a while through the window. The father said it was still better to come to church and make noise, then not come at all. Mariela is still frightened by men in general (did not see enough of them in the home i guess) and the gray robe did not help, I guess. But he was trying to play peek-a-boo with her and make friends. Give it a few years.

Mariela has also started helping around the house with gardening. She has her own rake and shovel and has learned to crumple up leaves and throw them. I am just thankful she has not started digging yet and now if I could get Abbey (the dog) to stop eating balls and frisbees, we would be in really good shape!

We had our first time out this week. Look, I had many a time out and if it means anything, I do not even remember what they were for. All I know, is I needed Mariela to quit throwing things and being mean, so she parked it on the bottom step and stayed there. She made herself weep and wail like no tomorrow, but she did not get up. I think she got the point and I hope those are few and far between.

So, since this is the last day of Mariela interning at our office, I thought I would reflect on some of our favorite moments together this month:

The Chicken McNugget and Apple Nibbler:

Mom wasn't quite focused and missed putting lunch in the car, so we had to improvise. After several days of being a frutarian, we finally broke down and thought that McDonald's might be the trick. I suppose since the apples did not have skin and did not really resemble real apples, she took little bites out of all of them and left them there. She did the same thing with the chicken mcnuggets - I have no clue - but that did not work.

The Corn Flake Tornado

As a parent, one should never think that it will be just one second. I was typing away hearing little noise in the background thinking she was content. Then all of a sudden I heard this crackling noise and then giggling. Low and behold, there were cornflakes all over my office floor and she was dancing on top of them. This is Juan coming to the rescue and taking care of the clean up. Doesn't she look innocent?