Scarlett says goodbye to the Stork Club

This morning was bittersweet. Scarlett went to her last day at the Stork Club.

Scarlett started at the Stork Club just before she turned 2. In fact, you may remember this post all about her first day. We've all had a great time while we've been there - and I do say "we" because I'm quite certain that I've enjoyed the daycare as much as Scarlett. We've laughed, and we've [admittedly] cried at how much we love this place. The teachers and friends we've made there have all had such an impact on us, and, so she can read them when she gets older, I'm going to post what her closest teachers and friends said about her departure:

Miss Elyse "I'm going to try and keep my composure today while I say goodbye to this tiny blonde bombshell. curse you Lauren Adams and your adorable children!"

Miss Michelle "Scarlett really broke my heart Monday- i was subbing in the 3s and she was crying..first because she said she really wanted a pony, but then she told me she was going to a new school and i asked her if she was excited and all she did was look at me and say 'i'm just really gonna miss you'"

Miss Nikkie "Give her a big hug for me and amanda plz...Can we do a play date soon she's gonna miss her so much !!!"

Miss Angie "GOOD LUCK BEAUTIFUL AND HAVE LOTS OF FUN IN YOUR NEW SCHOOL WE WILL ALL MISS YOU"

Miss Kailey "Aww we're gonna miss her :("

Emma's mom "Minnie is going to be so sad, I don't think she understands that Scarlett won't be at school with her anymore. Good Luck Scarlett at your new school you will do great."

Scarlett starts her new school tomorrow. I can only hope that we meet the same caring, funny, and loving people there too. Goodbye, Stork Club! Muah!

Costume parade - 2009

Here is a quick glimpse, courtesy of Nan and Larry, of the Halloween parade that occurred at daycare last Friday. Joe and I had to go to a wedding and missed the event...but we made sure to send representatives. Scarlett and Holden's rooms picked their own themes and then made their own costumes. And seriously. Legos? How cute? (Poor Seth didn't necessarily think so.) Holden's class was cows...but in order to get the 8 infants in the room to "march," they were simply wheeled out in their cribs and by the time Nan and Larry realized what cow was Holden, he was already gone. Oh...that Munchie Moo Moo. So here's the clip...enjoy!

Thrilling, huh? I don't know who I feel worse for, Seth - who is obviously mortified, or poor Nan and Larry - who understood that they were to document this amazing and monumental event and in the sheer chaos could only manage to get a 6 second video of Scarlett not so much as batting an eyelash let alone smiling! But it's a cute 6 seconds, no?

Scarlett's "tickets"

As you all know, Scarlett is in daycare. For 9.5 hours, M-F, I am relatively unaware of what my daughter is doing. Oh...she does stuff. 9.5 hours worth of stuff even. And this 9.5 hours worth of stuff is casually written down on a 5"x7" piece of paper which is then handed to me on a daily basis. We've come to refer to this piece of paper as Scarlett's "ticket."
Once we've picked her up from school, the drive home is spent reviewing Scarlett's ticket with her...scrutinizing it to get an idea of how she spent her day. We talk about the activities she did. We talk about her behavior. And we laugh. Below are some of the things I've found on Scarlett's tickets, and some of the discussions that followed.

“Scarlett is doing great at circle time. She is doing very well with her shapes and colors.”

Mommy – What color is that?
Scarlett – Green.
Mommy – Good! And what color is this?
Scarlett – Black.
Mommy – Good! And this?
Scarlett – Pink…That’s purple.
Mommy – No. That’s blue.
Scarlett – No. It’s purple. IT’S PURPLE MOM. (It was blue.)

“Scarlett and Paige were pretending that they were going to the beach today. It was cute.”

“Scarlett was very cute today. She was holding hands with Amanda and calling Amanda her best friend.”

Mommy – Scarlett, who is your best friend?
Scarlett – Amanda!

VERY NEXT DAY

“Scarlett had a good day, until Amanda punched her in the nose over a toy.”

Mommy – Scarlett, is Amanda your best friend?
Scarlett – No. I no like her.

“Scarlett had fun in the sprinklers today. She was chasing her friends around with a bucket of water.”

VERY NEXT DAY

We witness Scarlett dump a bucket of water over the head of a little girl. The little girl did not enjoy it. I repeat. Did not enjoy it.

“Scarlett did not listen today. She climbed up to the top of the slide when we told her it was time to go inside. No one could reach her.”

“Scarlett was funny today. She was dancing up front at the concert, until she decided she was scared of the guy playing guitar.”

Mommy – Scarlett, you didn't like music today?
Scarlett – No. He scare me.

Holden's first day of daycare

Today Holden went to his first day of daycare. (I also went back to work, but honestly, that's not nearly as interesting.) Holden is attending the same center as Scarlett, but she's in the "big girl" room while Holden is in the "baby room." This morning before we left, Scarlett decided to tell Holden all about school so he'd know the ropes before we got there."Baby Hoe-den...you go to baby school, baby Hoe-den? I too big baby school, baby Hoe-den. I go to big school, baby Hoe-den." Holden started to think that this baby school sounded pretty fun. He got excited.But when Scarlett told him that there were other babies to play with at baby school and that his days would no longer consist of sitting in Mommy's lap watching reruns of "A Baby Story" on TLC, "baby Hoe-den" got very excited. Very excited indeed. Check out this ham!! (How could you not smile while looking at this picture?!)

So that's it folks. I've got two kids. And now I've got two kids in daycare. Holden did very well for his first day. But how could he not? He's got a big sister just down the hall to look after him.

And just for old times sake, here's a picture of Scarlett on her first day of daycare almost exactly 2 years ago. Craziness.

Daily showdown at the breakfast table

Scarlett's got a nemesis at daycare. They meet each other every morning at the breakfast table at about 6:45 am in the Toddler Two's room. They're both in cowboy hats and boots...boots with spurs...the spikey kind. With the exception of the tumbleweeds blowing, they're all alone. After walking 10 paces away from each other, they take their seats at the breakfast table and you can almost hear the Western showdown theme song whistling in the background. ( Da-na-na-na-naa...dun dun dun.) Their meals are placed in front of them. Then...it begins.

Girl - (squinty eyed and pig tailed, in a low voice...almost a whisper) ......"my waffle."

Oh. But it's not her waffle. It's Scarlett's waffle. This infuriates Scarlett. The girl is not touching Scarlett's waffle. She's not even reaching for it. She just looks at Scarlett's waffle and claims that it is hers despite the very obvious fact that Girl is eating cereal for breakfast. Oh the injustice of it all. Scarlett has a good comeback though - don't you worry. Here it is.

Scarlett - "no...my waffle." (She obviously put a lot of thought into this retaliation.)

But the showdown doesn't end there, folks. After the owner of the waffle has been determined anything and everything that is in front of these two toddlers is claimed. We're talking forks. We're talking yogurt and fruit, napkins, plates and even moms and dads. We're talking a whole lotta mine mine mine. This showdown has happened every single morning for the past 2.5 weeks. While this "mine" phase is harsh, Joe and I are trying to see the good in this particular situation. At least these two girls, while admittedly spitting out "mine" like it was their job, were doing wonderfully at taking turns.

Battle Royale à la Stacker

Here it is folks, the infamous ring stacker. Scarlett loves this toy. She really loves it once she gets those pesky and annoyingly colorful rings out of the way - because honestly...what are they good for? Now that stacker though...oh, in its prime and naked glory...is good for the greatest thing known to mankind. Banging. When Scarlett gets hold of that stacker - look out world cause it's bangin' time. No wall, dog, coffee table, head or eye socket is safe from stacker-armed Scarlett.

That being said...Joe went to pick up Scarlett from daycare yesterday and he was greeted with a little story as to how Scarlett had spent her afternoon. Her daycare provider has this same ring stacker toy. Her daycare provider also has 2 other babies in her care, aged 14 and 18 months. Apparently, babies and stackers don't mix. They all love this stacker - and I repeat - not the rings...just the stacker. Her daycare provider witnessed these three babies fighting tooth and nail over this stacker (which, of course, is going to happen at a daycare). She said they were all sitting in a circle holding onto it like their world would end if they let go. After the story, Joe looked to his right and who do you think was sitting there holding the stacker? My bruiser baby, Scarlett. He picked her up, and the second she was off the floor the other 2 babies came running over to fight over the stacker again. Oh Scarlett...was it something you said? Did you stacker attack them? The world may never know.