The First Day at Preschool

Well, after going to bed quite nervous about Diego going to preschool, things went quite smoothly today!! We woke up (yes, I say we because Diego is back sleeping in our bed!) around 7:30 am, got ready pretty quickly and then focused on getting him ready. I also started taking pictures of the silly things we were doing and Diego was just being cool. After breakfast I let him watch one episode of Wonder Pets so I had 10 minutes or so for a final check of everything we needed before heading out and to take more pictures!!


We got to the school with plenty of extra time so I continued taking pics, then he played a bit with other kids and at 9:03 am they opened the door of his classroom. As I was suggested I kept the good-bye short and sweet: I kneeled down right at the door, told him that I love him and that he was going to have a wonderful day at school. Then he looked at me and said" bye-bye mommy!", and that was it. He got in the room, and I left. I started tearing up so I didn't even stick around to see if I could hear any crying; I just left.

I went home and spend my first 2 hours of freedom in almost 1.5 years just cleaning the house. I didn't want to go anywhere just in case they called me from the school and I had to go and get Diego. No call. At 11:30 am I was back at the school, waited with the other parents until the door of the class opened and until Diego's name was called to come to the door. When it was his turn, I went to the door, kneeled down, opened my arms and said "Diego, mommy is here!". He started running towards me with his arms opened and we hugged. When Diego was getting his bag I asked the teacher if he had cried and she said the did once when she changed his diaper, but that he had a good day. (I wanted to get home so no more cute pictures, just the first preschool painting and him drinking milk in the car.)

Diego only ate half of his snack (I have to send his snacks with his gluten free/casein free stuff, but at least I found a bakery that makes yummy stuff that he can eat - today I sent him with a lemon muffin and strawberries), and even before we got in the car he told me that "he needs (we think he means wants, but he always says need) to eat. After eating I put him down for his nap, but after only 30 minutes sleeping he woke up calling me, so I had to lay down with him (well, actually he was sleeping on top of my chest or in my arm pit) for the rest of his nap, which was another 1.5 hours. Yes, me sweet boy needed some company for sleeping - one of his ways to show anxiety.

The rest of the day went fine and I asked him few times to tell me what he did at school, if he liked it, if the teachers were nice to him and these are few of the things he said:

* "Bye-bye mommy and then mommy left!" - He even gave me a stern look; then I quickly responded that mommy had to leave, but went back for him later!

* "Kids were crying when daddies or mommies left" - Diego really gets nervious when he sees or hears babies/kids crying.

* "There were lots of kids at the playground"- and he liked that.

* "I cryed mommy, mommy, and mommy was not here. Teacher changed my diaper" - I think it happened close to pick-up time, because his eyes and nose were still a bit red and his diaper was totaly dry.

* "Diaper full of pee-pee. Teacher changed my diaper" - I sent Diego with two diapers changes and they only changed him once. I need to ask them when they usually change the kids so Diego doesn't have to feel uncomfortable with a heavy diaper.

But in overall, I think Diego did OK for being the first time he spends 2.5 hours without his parents in a different place from his home. He has said he had fun, but also said many times that "mommy wasn't there" or "mommy left". I know he will learn a ton and that this is a positive experience for him; I just hope everyone (him and US) can adjust to this soon! Well, let's see how he sleeps tonight.