Gearing Up for School

Ed got me a (red!) Kitchen Aid MixMaster as a surprise for Christmas. Naturally I had to try it out by making a double batch of my favorite cookies last night: my great-grandmother's recipe for cutout sugar cookies. When Blanden sat down for breakfast this morning, saw them all drying on the counter, and wanted one, of course we couldn't resist. Seems like a good way to begin a holiday day "for a special treat." He took one bite and said, "Mmm!" Papa would be proud.

However, the cookie you see here is his second. He asked for it, but then decided to eat his banana and toast instead of the second treat. Good boy!

This morning Blanden and I visited his classroom-to-be. In the hour and a half we were there, the group had story time, did an art project, and then had free play time with books, balls, and stacking blocks. Blanden was clingy at first, as expected, but after about 15 minutes he was off investigating and exploring the room; soon he began to play on his own; and by the end he was interacting with the other children and the teachers and laughing and clapping. Understandably he kept coming back to me to check in, and he wasn't super keen on sharing my lap with a little girl who decided to plop down and read a story with us, but I feel confident he is going to be just fine. We're going back to visit again next week and the following week before he begins full time on his own after the new year.

He is in a room with eight other children, who can be from 12 to 24 months old, though everyone seems to be around 15 to 19 months right now. Two little girls seemed particularly friendly and interested in him, and after a while the teacher whispered to me, "I think Blanden and Joshua are going to be close." :-) Joshua is about Blanden's age and, according to the teacher, has a similar personality -- a little shy and reserved, but interested in getting to know other children. Blanden is in the same classroom as the assistant director's daughter (there are three classrooms in this age group), so that seems to bode well, and his lead teacher, Miss Pat, has been there for six years. I was impressed that she managed to corral eight toddlers for story time and then get them all to sit down together around the table for their art project! (Today: coloring cutout paper stars for Christmas.) We know the first few days (weeks? months?) are going to be tough, but we also know he's going to have fun and expand his education.