Caitlin's First Week of Montessori (All Day Program)

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Yes, it seems that our little baby is all grown up and made it through her first week in school (an all day Montessori program). We had to say goodbye to Big Mamma and her family (which was sad) and we miss the one on one time she was getting, but we are also excited to think about all of the social and educational skills she's about to learn for the next year before she starts kindergarten in August 2009.

Here's the week in review:

Caitlin has had a great first few days of Montessori.

The first day she came home tired and grumpy and didn’t want to talk much. I think the shock of going all day long with not much of a rest (they only lay down for 45 minutes each day) got to her. She said it was fun but that’s about it. We asked her teacher (Ms. Ginger) on the second morning how she did and she said that she was the perfect student – singing all the songs, doing all the hand motions, following directions, listening, participating and was the teacher’s “special friend” at circle time and sat next to her. We are so proud of her!!

The second day she came home happy and excited! When Chris picked her up she ran to him and all of her little friends stopped her on her way to him to give her a hug and would not let her go! They all were begging her to stay with them! She wore her new “Wall-E” T-Shirt (from the movie “Wall-E”) and she told me last night that all the kids commented how they loved her shirt and had all been to see the movie (she had to say, “I have not seen it yet!”) but was happy to have everyone ga-ga over her T-Shirt. She showed us how they did “head and shoulders knees and toes” at school and said she learned how to hold a pencil (“with 3 fingers”) and how to curtsy and bow. She also said that she likes the “soldier and flag time”. I was not sure what she meant until this morning when she told me that she gets to hold the flag today and the soldiers get to walk around her. It clicked – they are saying the “Pledge of Allegiance” each morning and each day someone new gets to hold the flag! Today is Cait’s flag day!!

The third day was fun and she learned that she might be the most popular girl in the class - but I'm not sure she knows how to handle all of the "pressure." She is happy but tired. She's learning alot in a short amount of time and she's also picking up on how others talk and act. She's saying "like" alot and is cocking herself in strange ways when she talks. OMG she is just growing up!! Mommy got to pick her up and see some of her work - she can write her numbers so well and was explained to me by her teacher's helper as "not normal." This might sound bad, but it was good - she was not a normal "first weeker." She was not crying all day (as most first weekers do) and she was quiet and helpful and listening well and paying attention and cooperating. Wow! We are so proud! We did find out that she cried after "short rest" time for Daddy (or Mommy, or both) but stopped after only 10 minutes. Poor baby!

The fourth day was a mixture of popularity and fear. There is a girl there who picked on Caitlin and spit on her and hit her on the playground. Yes, we were concerned and I was upset, but I know that she has to go through this "life" stuff at some point. The thing is, we had no idea that Caitlin didn't know how to say "no" to the girl (to tell her to stop) and also didn't know that it was okay to tell the teacher that she was being picked on. We had never had to teach her this before and it was something I just couldn't help thinking that if we didn't teach her this lesson now, that something terrible could happen in her future. Of course, this is the pessimist in me, but I was worried. We agreed to tell the teacher on Friday morning and hope that all would be okay. We were told that she cried for 5 minutes after "short rest" time again - for Mommy this time.

Friday was to be a big day. The first "bring own lunch to school day", the first "show and tell day" and the day Mommy was going to try to get the teacher involved in the "bully" situation. She brought her sandwich and carrots and snacks and drink in her brand new Princess lunchbox. She brought a little photo album that had pictures from when she was a baby (in the womb and out). They are not supposed to bring toys, but things that are important to the child to share. She loves looking at her baby pictures and wanted to bring this particular book that is from MeMe's house (her Brag book that she used to carry in her purse before and after Caitlin was born). I talked to the teacher and hoped that everything would be okay with the "bully situation." I think the day went well - when I picked her up she told me that lunch was good and show and tell was good and that she had "accepted [girl's name] apology." Since she's never used that terminology before, I figured the teacher had gotten involved and that all was well.

I think Caitlin is on her way to being a truly "big girl" and that she's going to learn alot. We're excited and love our girl!

Sorry if this was long winded - just wanted to let you know all the details that I could remember!

Have a great Labor Day!
Let's pray that Gustav stays FAR FAR AWAY from EVERYONE!