Born to Go To School

Hana started preschool this week. She absolutely LOVES it and we couldn't be more thrilled with the school. The facility is fabulous, the teachers are wonderful, and there is a strong parent/family community. The teachers and director have all said that Hana is adjusting perfectly to the new environs - she's outgoing, participatory, energetic without being domineering, friendly with the other kids, and a general pleasure all around.

She is already learning new things. Today she showed off her new vocabulary word - "germs." :) When I went to change her diaper this evening, she asked me if I had gloves. I didn't know what she meant, but said yes, figuring she was referring to winter gloves, since that's the only kind of gloves she knows. Then she told me I had to wear them while changing her diaper so we don't share germs. (I told her since we are family it's OK to share a little bit of germs, but if you are not family you should try not to share germs.)

Also, she made "apple pie" today (apple muffins) with the organic apples from the tree in the yard. She's fed celery to the goats, and dressed up like a zebra. She's played in the sandbox, read books, sang songs, napped on her monkey mat, and lots of things I'm sure I don't even know about. It's toddler heaven.

Hana Is Starting Preschool

A surprise twist in Hana's day to day life - she will be starting preschool next week! We had been casually exploring preschools, without much hope for this year since slots fill up 6 months to a year here in the Bay Area. I had pretty much given up hope and was resigned to waiting until next year, when we found a great place that was affordable, flexible, a great environment, and they had openings in their "Sprouts" classroom (2 year olds).

Hana will get to play inside and out, have singing and reading during circle time, tend the garden, explore the "forest" (a small collection of fruit trees and vines), enjoy healthy organic snacks, and feed and care for the farm animals - 5 chickens and 2 pygmy goats - that live at the school. She hasn't been to visit yet, but we are pretty sure she will love it there. The teachers are very nurturing and patient and there is a strong parent community as well. It's hard to see what the downside is, except...

Hana will have to give up her nanny. This makes us very sad, because Hana just adores her and she loves Hana. Hana will still see her for another month as she transitions to school, so there will be time to say goodbye. Even though she is sad too, the nanny agrees Hana should go to school because she really needs more of a learning environment.

Tuesday will be her first day. Pete and I will stay with her for an hour or two and then will leave and we'll see how it goes.

Big Girl Bed!

Tonight is the second night Hana has actually slept in her big girl bed! We've been trying for about a month, but it hasn't taken. She'll start out there, but as soon as I leave the room, she's out of bed asking for me to come back and cuddle. Then I'd put her (over strong objections) in the crib and she'd pass out right away.

Last night and tonight, she employed her usual procrastination techniques and begged me to stay and cuddle, but ultimately ended up staying in the bed and falling asleep. Perhaps it has something to do with the magic sparkly fairies that I promised would come if she closed her eyes and went to sleep. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that her 2 year molars are just about completely in and the teething pain has resolved. Perhaps it is just maturity. Or maybe she somehow knows we have to give the crib back to Izzy this weekend and she figured it's time. Whatever the reason, we are very proud of her for being so brave and sleeping in the bed all by herself!

Hana Is Finally 2!!

Hana had a packed, fun-filled birthday week. It inadvertently began last weekend, at our friend Andrew's birthday at the Tilden Park merry-go-round. All week, Hana has been saying it was her birthday party. Then, we spent 3 days in Tahoe with Grandma Sharon and Papa Don, and finished off the mini-vacation with a chocolate birthday cupcake. The presents have been coming all week - a tool box from the Coan grandparents, some cool games from the Geckeler grandparents, and a wonderful book from her friend Hudson on the east coast.

Today was her official birthday party (a few pics of the day above). The day began with soccer class, followed by the party with several toddlers and adults and lots of grabbing and shouting of "mine!" Then a much needed nap (she fell asleep in the car while holding her balloon), followed by a swim in the pool. She had such a great day! She even blew out the candles on her cake all by herself.

One of the most exciting things that happened this weekend was that Hana's friend Izzy got a new little sister named Millie, on Hana's birthday!!! So now Hana has a birthday buddy.

Happy fathers' day to Pete and all the dads out there!

Preschool?

We went on our first preschool visit today to a local Montessori. We really liked it! There was music in the classrooms, it was very spacious, most of the kids seemed engaged and enjoying themselves. They have Spanish lessons once a week, and they do phonics and math as soon as the kids seem ready. The classrooms are mixed age from 2-5, and a lot of the learning is peer-based with the older kids teaching the younger kids how to do things. Unfortunately, sending a child to a full time Montessori program in the Bay Area costs about the same as a Harvard education. We have several other schools to look at before we make any decisions, so we'll see.

Hana is also going to soccer class this summer. The first class was last Sunday and she did fabulously! She listened to the coach, followed all the instructions, actively participated in all the games, and pretty much put the other kids to shame. If I can get her on video, I'll post it here.

We are still struggling with various forms of physical assault from time to time - biting, scratching, grabbing, and my favorite - grabbing fistfuls of my hair and refusing to let go. It seems to happen when she is already wound up, and she is usually wound up in the early evening. Time outs don't work anymore. The nanny says she now just gives her a tight hug that physically prevents her from biting and explains "no biting." Tonight I was able to catch her right before she did it and talk her down, and then she calmed down and was very sweet the rest of the evening. Trial and error, trial and error. Fortunately, this is something she mostly does to me, sometimes to Pete, sometimes to other people she knows well, but not to strangers or other kids she doesn't know well. In other words, she's not indiscriminately aggressive. I think there is something about "feeling safe" to act out with people she knows. She somehow instinctively gets that we are not going to leave her.

Promising Career Options: Naked Chef, Cinematographer, or Tech Support

The Procrastimaster

No, this is not a new piece of exercise equipment.

It's Hana's new nickname. And it is well-earned! I have never seen a human being master the art of procrastination with such subtlety and grace that you don't even notice it happening until it's too late and you are caught in its web.

New bedtime procrastination strategies include the following:

1) The Blanket Switch Up Routine. "No I want the other blanket. No the other one. No not that one, the green one! Mommy, can you get the blanket that's in the living room?"

2) The 'Drown Me in Milk' Approach. This involves drinking all her milk and asking for more. And more. And more.

3) Kiss Me, Hug Me. This one is the most mischievous and manipulative, because who can say no to a sweet request for a kiss or a hug?

4) Stories, Stories, Stories. We can no longer just read a story. Each page is accompanied by all kinds of questions and commentary. "Mommy why is the baby crying? Is the mommy going to pick the baby up? I think the baby's sad. She's crying. What's that (pointing to something)? What's that? What's that? Is that the baby's bed?" And on, and on, and on.

5) Just One More. This is the strategy of last resort and applies to #1-4 above. Just one more book, one more kiss, one more hug, one more whatever. Often it's a clearly desperate attempt to come up with just one more thing she can do to avoid bed - turn out the light, put the baby in the chair, put the shirt in the laundry, brush her teeth again - whatever last straw she can grasp at, she'll go for it. This one is the most insidious because while you are in the process of saying no, and explaining why, she's already moved on to 'just one more' of something else, and before you know it, you've been doing that for 5 minutes - Hana asking for 'just one more X' and you saying 'no, not tonight, sweetie, it's night night time' over and over.

We love our little procrastimaster!