Preschool!!!! Also, my medical exam
Michelle and Rebecca had their first day of preschool today, and they really enjoyed it. It's a five minute walk from our house. This is a special orientation week, with each family only coming in on the day that is that parent's work day (it's a parent participation program). So today it was us, Lisa and her son Maarten, and Zeng and her son Rouli. There's one more Tuesday mom, but she's in Taiwan this week. I'll get to meet the other parents at a class meeting tonight. Next week will be a normal week, with 15 kids in the class all three days (Tues Thurs Fri). I'll be in class on Tuesday, and at the weekly parents' meeting Thursday afternoon. So next Tuesday will be the girls' first day with all the kids, and next Thursday will be their first day without me in class.
Class has a fairly set structure. If I recall correctly: Time for art and free play, then clean-up, music time, wash hands, snack, outdoor play time, story time, goodbye song. Each parent working for the day is assigned a role (and a cheat sheet on how to fill it!); I was on the art project table. I had to encourage each kid to do the day's project, help them do it, clean up, then do other tasks at different stages (like, the art table parent also helps with snack set-up). Today's projects were to make a cubby hole tag -- each kid picked the bacground color and some stickers, and assembled it, so they can know their cubby without being able to read the name on the tag -- and put painted handprints on what will become their snack time placemat. There was also a play-dough table, a table of manipulatives (puzzles, felt board, a building toy), and all kinds of toys: dolls and household (play kitchen, vacuum, etc.); trucks and cars; blocks; dress-up; and more.
The girls did some art (including a lot of painting at an easel that was set up during outdoor recess), giggled like crazy during music time, and paid attention during the story. Rebecca tended to wander off during music time, and Michelle plunged her paint-covered hands into the sand box rather than the wash basin, and tracked play-dough all over the class room, but mostly they had fun and didn't get unhappy at all or cause much difficulty. They dawdled on the walk home -- Rebecca wanted to be carried the whole way, which is more than I can do now that she's so big -- but we made it back. Both of the other moms seemed nice, and I chatted quite a bit with Lisa, who I share some interests with (crafting, though we do different crafts). I was relieved to see that they weren't the kind of intimidating, fancy well-dressed ladies I'd been somehow picturing in my head. it makes perfect sense that in fact they're down-to-earth stay-at-home moms kind of like me -- that's who's going to have the interest and ability to do a parent-participation program that's got a moderate (for the area) pricetag. All in all, a positive first day. Tonight, I meet the other parents and go through some orientation and planning stuff, and hand in a big sheaf of paperwork.
After we got home and had lunch, the nanny came and I went off for a routine physical. Mostly a clean bill of health. I've been having bad stabbing pains sometimes in my right index finger. She agrees with me that I've probably got some osteoarthritis there, but gave the very reassuring opnion that this is likely a temporary flare that should resolve in a few weeks, not something that's going to be a continual and worsening problem (though the underlying arthritis is of course here to stay). The only not-so-great thing is my LDL and HDL are not where she'd like to see them. The good one is low (by a bit) and the bad one is high (by a bit). We disucssed my diet and possible weight loss strategies, but most of all she feels that increased exercise is likely to be my best tool for this. It should have tons of other benefits, so it's clearly a good way to go, but WHEN and HOW do I manage it? Because, you know, TWINS.
Then I indulged myself in an hour's stroll and shopping on Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park: curry powder at Penzey's, some beautiful Threadworx fibers from Old World Needlepoint, a nifty headband (made in Nepal) at an import shop, and some goodies for some young friends from Village Stationers. A good day. And now to cook, and then to meet...
Class has a fairly set structure. If I recall correctly: Time for art and free play, then clean-up, music time, wash hands, snack, outdoor play time, story time, goodbye song. Each parent working for the day is assigned a role (and a cheat sheet on how to fill it!); I was on the art project table. I had to encourage each kid to do the day's project, help them do it, clean up, then do other tasks at different stages (like, the art table parent also helps with snack set-up). Today's projects were to make a cubby hole tag -- each kid picked the bacground color and some stickers, and assembled it, so they can know their cubby without being able to read the name on the tag -- and put painted handprints on what will become their snack time placemat. There was also a play-dough table, a table of manipulatives (puzzles, felt board, a building toy), and all kinds of toys: dolls and household (play kitchen, vacuum, etc.); trucks and cars; blocks; dress-up; and more.
The girls did some art (including a lot of painting at an easel that was set up during outdoor recess), giggled like crazy during music time, and paid attention during the story. Rebecca tended to wander off during music time, and Michelle plunged her paint-covered hands into the sand box rather than the wash basin, and tracked play-dough all over the class room, but mostly they had fun and didn't get unhappy at all or cause much difficulty. They dawdled on the walk home -- Rebecca wanted to be carried the whole way, which is more than I can do now that she's so big -- but we made it back. Both of the other moms seemed nice, and I chatted quite a bit with Lisa, who I share some interests with (crafting, though we do different crafts). I was relieved to see that they weren't the kind of intimidating, fancy well-dressed ladies I'd been somehow picturing in my head. it makes perfect sense that in fact they're down-to-earth stay-at-home moms kind of like me -- that's who's going to have the interest and ability to do a parent-participation program that's got a moderate (for the area) pricetag. All in all, a positive first day. Tonight, I meet the other parents and go through some orientation and planning stuff, and hand in a big sheaf of paperwork.
After we got home and had lunch, the nanny came and I went off for a routine physical. Mostly a clean bill of health. I've been having bad stabbing pains sometimes in my right index finger. She agrees with me that I've probably got some osteoarthritis there, but gave the very reassuring opnion that this is likely a temporary flare that should resolve in a few weeks, not something that's going to be a continual and worsening problem (though the underlying arthritis is of course here to stay). The only not-so-great thing is my LDL and HDL are not where she'd like to see them. The good one is low (by a bit) and the bad one is high (by a bit). We disucssed my diet and possible weight loss strategies, but most of all she feels that increased exercise is likely to be my best tool for this. It should have tons of other benefits, so it's clearly a good way to go, but WHEN and HOW do I manage it? Because, you know, TWINS.
Then I indulged myself in an hour's stroll and shopping on Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park: curry powder at Penzey's, some beautiful Threadworx fibers from Old World Needlepoint, a nifty headband (made in Nepal) at an import shop, and some goodies for some young friends from Village Stationers. A good day. And now to cook, and then to meet...