I have basically had Baby Girl signed up for Mother’s Day Out since she was about 11 months old. We live in a small town. There are not many options for daycare, etc around here. So when I found a Mother’s Day Out program at a baptist church I pounced. Went that day to visit. It was May of 2015. Baby wasn’t yet One. They oohed and aahed over how cute she is (of course) and showed me around and said she had to be 2 to attend. Well Rats. Two is a long way away I thought. Then they said that all the kids who already attend get first priority and that their little brothers and sisters get first priority as new students. Well Double Rats. So I asked for an application. It will be due March 21, 2016 they said, to start in September of 2016. Baby Girl would be 27 months old by then. Perfect.
I took that application home, filled it out, and FILED IT. Waited not so patiently for March 21 to roll around. About March 10th I could wait no longer, so afraid was I of not being selected, and I mailed that sucker in with the deposit. Heard nothing. Check was cashed. Still heard nothing. Start panicking. Called up the Director. Yes, Baby Girl has been enrolled. Aaahhhhh! The most soothing words I ever did hear. You mean, in about six more months, I get to have some ME TIME?! Yes, they said. Tuesday and Thursdays. For five hours each day. FIVE HOURS. Amazing.
I cannot tell you the excitement with which I waited out those six months. September 6th could not arrive fast enough. Being a (basically) stay at home mom is the hardest thing I have ever done. It was time to take some time back for myself. I promised myself that the first day of MDO I would curl up in my office and sleep for five hours. Well I didn’t actually do that, although it was certainly tempting. I went to Target instead. I’ll bet most of you can understand what going to Target alone means to a mom. I pretty much danced through the aisles and sang Hallelujah.
Still, I was trepidatious about leaving Baby Girl on that first day. She had never been away from me and with strangers for five hours at a time. We got there early (because, of course) and we walked in and she looked around at all the new toys and it was like I just disappeared. About ten minutes into it I leaned over to her and said “OK Baby, mommy’s leaving now.” She barely glanced up and said “bye.” Well ok then. I guess you’re going to be fine.
About three hours later the Director called and was explaining that Baby Girl had somehow gotten all these bites all over her belly. I said “is she crying?” No. “Is she distressed in any way?” No, she doesn’t seem to be. In fact, we found the ant pile she must have somehow rolled around in and she never said a word, never cried or anything! Do you want to come and check her out or just wait til pick up time to look at her? HELL NO I don’t want to come check her out! She’s not crying, she’s not in any pain – she’s fine! She’s a tough kid. I think the Director was relieved that I wasn’t going to sue or something. And I didn’t really say Hell No to the Baptist church school director – I promise.
When I picked her up she was much more interested in some stuffed dog than she was in seeing me. Baby Girl never did complain about the ant bites. The poor teacher was much more freaked out than she was. Kept telling me how they were going to check for ants again and spray and probably just play in the gym on Thursday. I was like, lady, she’s fine. Don’t worry about it. I promise I’m not going to sue anyone. She got in the truck all happy and smiles. Most of the other kids were bawling. It is a little unnerving that my kid is that independent at two years old.
So the report from the first day was that Baby Girl was quiet all day but played a lot and had a good time. On the second day of MDO I told the teacher that Baby Girl might be a little cranky that day because she hadn’t slept well. She answered “I can’t imagine her EVER being cranky!” I managed to keep the eye roll inside. You just wait teacher lady…
Second day went much like the first – Baby Girl was happy to be there and happy when I picked her up. Played her little heart out they said. Me too, I wanted to tell them. I had a great time with the horses in my backyard. Also, lucky for me, she was asleep within ten minutes of getting home both days!
This MDO thing is gonna be good for both of us. I might just be able to handle toddlerhood after all.