His Life at School Begins

Monday was Aiden's first day in the daycare. It was so much scarier dropping him off there than it was on his first day at the sitter's house when he was only 6 weeks old. I'm not exactly sure except for the fact that he is no longer the only baby. At the daycare they are allowed up to four babies per teacher.

His first day didn't go so well. When I dropped him off I gave the teacher a piece of paper with his schedule, but I didn't go over it with her.

1) Because I thought that would make me a psycho mom.

2) Because I had so many other things to take care of that first day that I didn't have much time in the end.

On the evening of that first day I decided that I am willing to be a psycho mom. They didn't keep him on his schedule at all. He only slept two out of the four hours he was supposed to have and it was mostly little naps here and there. They also did not give him enough to eat at two out of the three feedings. Oh! And also, he came home in someone else's diaper. That's not really a big deal though.

I can't get mad at them yet though. Even though Monday night was miserable because Aiden was ridiculously cranky and tired, a transition time is to be expected. Travis said he fell asleep after they'd been in the truck for 5 minutes. We left him in his carrier on the kitchen table and he didn't wake up until I got him up two hours later for his last feeding of the day. And man was he pissed. Usually after he gets a few stretches in he is a smiley boy when he wakes up from sleeping. This was an Aiden I have never met before. He kept grunting and fussing and all the while flailing his arms and legs. I tried to get him to eat, but he kept falling asleep. Eventually I gave up and just put him to bed.

Tuesday when I dropped Aiden off, I had a quick chat with the teacher, explaining that it is okay to wake him up for feeding time and to keep him AWAKE during feeding so he gets a full five to six ounces of milk down. That second day went MUCH better. He was still exhausted after only having three 45-minute naps, but I think since they were longer naps that Monday's, he was in much better shape come the evening time. Aiden still fell asleep during his last feeding, but at least he wasn't a cranky-butt and we were able to get in a bath.

I think it will take some time for him to get used to the new sights, scents and sounds of the daycare. Hopefully he adjusts quickly. I need my little happy man back!