Abby and the New Preschool

Abby is four years old and attends a preschool that she loves.  This particular preschool had spring break last week, which meant that we had to find someone or someplace that could take its place for five days.  After some checking around, we chose to put her in Juli's daycare/preschool for the week.  I was worried that it would stress Abby out - going to a new place for such a short period of time, having to make new friends and get to know new teachers...I should have known better.

On Monday, I drove the girls to the school and we dropped Juli off at her classroom first - she is in the Frog room, which is a room of seven children who range in age from 17 months (ours) to 27 months.  She has a lot of fun in this room and loves her teachers, but more on that in another blog.

Then, down the hall we went to Abby's room- the Penguinflies.  (Pardon me while the inner English teacher cringes at this name.)  This room is a combination of two rooms, the Penguins and the Fireflies.  I am not sure what the story is behind the combination of the room or the names.

Let me back up a second...Abby put great thought into what she was going to wear this first day of school right down to the accessories.  Once it was all said and done, she had on a pink and grey dress, grey tights, pink shoes, a ponytail with a pink hairbow, a pink necklace and lip gloss (thanks for the gloss, Auntie Jenny!).

Back to the new room.  So we walk in and I show her the pets (gulp).  This room has guinea pigs, frogs and fish, as far as I can tell.  I did not get very close to the guinea pigs or frogs...but I looked at the fish for Abby's sake.  Those of you who know me know that I am not a fan of guinea pigs or things that jump or fly.  Sorry, but that's just how it is.

Anyway, we go in there and the teacher has had the forethought to label Abby's cubby ahead of time, which makes her feel right at home.  One of her teachers (there are three of them) is male and when he enters the room, he immediately dons a Dr. Seuss hat and proceeds to bellow "Good Morning!" at each child as they enter the room.  Although I am initially startled by his vigor and volume, the kids seem to enjoy this immensly.  All the while, Abby is quite nervous and hiding behind me.  Then a little boy, whose name I do not know, runs into the room, tosses his coat into his cubby, says a breezy hello to the man-teacher and heads for the guinea pig cage.  On his way there, he stops short.  He sees my daughter.  What is this?? he is thinking.    Who is this vision of pink fluffiness that stands before me?  I must meet her.  And in all of his four year old bravado asks the only obvious question that there is to ask when he likes a girl.  "Wanna see my spaceship?"

And the sad part is, she did.