First Day of Preschool

Well as anyone who has kids or is on Facebook know, it is that time of year. The starting of all things school. It was no exception in our house this year. I know I have mentioned it before, but Vera will be attending preschool M/W/F for 3 hours in the morning. We have been talking about it and with her two older cousins in school now, she was anxious to have her own school to go to. Last Wednesday I attended the parent/teacher orientation at Vera’s preschool. Thursday was a meet and greet and Vera got to attend. There she got to meet her teacher, meet some classroom friends and famliarize herself with her teacher, school, class and surroundings. IT was good for her.

Two days ago on Wednesday was the big day. The FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL. She was very excited and I kept preparing her that Momma won’t be there but she will come back before lunch, etc. We pulled up, I signed her in and she was off! She went with the teachers aid (they take them from your car, it is valet drop off). She had a little deer in the headlights look which worried me, but she didn’t cry. 3 hours later I was there to pick her up and she was so happy to see me. She said it was good and that she played, ate a cracker and drank juice. The teacher (as she put Vera in the car) stated that it went very good and she would email pix and a report that night. Sure enough she did and it was great to get a little peek into the first day.

My little preschooler

In other news, we are THIS CLOSE to being a family for a year! We met earlier this week with the social worker for our one year post placement. Now we won’t see her again until next September. Vera is hitting all kinds of milestones and is very much a normal two year old, almost three (about two months away).  Which reminds me I need to call and schedule her well child.

In the meantime, here are some of the latest things on Vera:

• Everything belongs to Vera.  Most common phrases heard are: My toys, My doll, My mommy’s lap.
• She is quite the meat eater these days.
• She now will say Mommy as much as Momma. It is cute to hear her say it as she says Mommy so cute.
• She is really getting into pretend play. Being a mermaid or a princess or a dog or cat.
• She is really enjoying gymnastics. She is gaining confidence and more body control all the time. For example, keeping one foot flexed while pointing the other and then switching. Jumping down the trampoline and moving her legs out and in. She still has fear of falling off the balance beam, but each time she get a little better. She also has regressed a little in jumping off of blocks, etc. But we will keep working on overcoming her fear. Mind you she will jump if she and I hold hands. It’s just the fear of doing it alone.
• Her fear of trains is getting less. She can tolerate looking at them and doesn’t run to me when she hears them. She will however cover her ears most times when she hears one. At night, in her bed, she will cry if she hears one (in summer I keep her window open for fresh air and a train goes by at 8:45 and 9:45). I will go in when I hear her and she will be there with her hands over her ears and eyes closed crying 😦 Sometimes I think she dreams of it because about once a month or so she will wake up that way and there is no train going by in the distance or at least not that I hear.
• She is very sure that she wants to be a pink princess for Halloween.  I was pushing for Cinderella, but a blue princess is not acceptable for my little Ruskie.
• She loves to be chased at the park on the grass and I love to chase her and hear her laugh hysterically.
• She will go up to kids in the park and say “Hi I’m Vera”.  But when she says Vera she doesn’t say the VVV sound so it sounds like her name is Era .  We are working on that sound 🙂
• She as of one hour and 30 minutes ago finished day 2 of preschool and had a great day with no tears.
• Vera knows most of the alphabet and her numbers 0-13.  She can’t recite the alpha song correctly yet but hey she knows the letters and can be quizzed on them.  She can count in order 1-10 though sometimes she leaves out 5 and 6.  She can show you numbers 1-5 with her hand and it is stinkin cute.  Colors and numbers she has basically knows since month 3 or so….
• When her language skills begins to grow, her dysfluencies (stuttering) appear.  It was happening a bit a couple of weeks ago and then stopped.  Started up again this morning.
• Is gaining independence daily.  Wanting to climb in the car by herself, take off her clothes alone even pottying all by herself.  But she still loves her nuggle time in the morning with mommy and her bottle time in my arms at night.
• Starting to enjoy coloring a lot more and craft like projects.
• Is sweet and loving.  If she hears me say ow (maybe I bummed my toe) she will run over and say, “momma ok?  what happened?  awwww I kiss it.  Its ok momma”
• Very good table manners.  I am a proud momma and here is a cute video of the end of dinner: