Busy Week

It's been a busy week with alot of things going on.  Gracie has been healthy and happy for the most part.  She's been a very good sleeper and I've really been appreciating this.  It gets pretty cold in our house at night and she has been snuggling under the covers.  I've found not to dress her too heavily at night - just a one layer set of cotton pjs...otherwise she gets too hot and tosses and turns alot. 

We found out last week that Gracie's daycare provider (who we all love immensely) is going back to her nursing career and we would need to find a new daycare for Gracie.  I'm thrilled for her as the job that she has taken will suit her perfectly.  I am sad for us, because she is AWESOME and we've been so blessed to have her taking care of Gracie this last year and a half.  She has provided so many learning experiences and opportunities for Gracie and she has blossomed with this care.  So the task we had was to find a daycare that could accommodate all of Gracie's special needs (seizure disorder, meds need to be dispensed, developmental delay, severe food allergies, etc.) and be open the appropriate hours to accommodate my work schedule.  This was not an easy task and we soon figured out that an in-home daycare was no longer an option.  I found a daycare center that I just loved and felt very comfortable with, only to discover that due to the set-up of the parking lot, the school bus would not pick her up there.  This caused a little stress for me. 

The next visit was to a daycare center that came highly recommended by a colleague.  We arrived and there was a group of kids lining up and Gracie was very adamant that she wanted to line up with the group.  When I wouldn't let her she was very upset with me.  The center was very accommodating and although Gracie would qualify to be in the pre-K room, they gave us the option to have her be in the pre-school room as there are only 4 other children there and they are sweethearts.  Gracie responded well to the director and to the classroom teacher.  The only real concern I had was all the buttons, pom poms, and other small crafty items that were a little too accessible.  Gracie is still very oral and they have choking hazard written all over them.  They were accommodating about those as well.  Gracie seemed to like this center, so we've reserved a spot for her starting December 5th.  Now I have a ton of paperwork to do, but I am relieved that we have found a place that I am happy with and I think Gracie will be too.  It is much closer to work for me to, so that will be nice.  Jeff hasn't given his stamp of approval yet, but he was immersed in a big conference at work with long hours, so he left this decision up to me.  I think he'll be pleased as well. 

Gracie has been very resistant to getting on the school bus lately.  This was happening at daycare, so I contacted her teacher at school and she said that Gracie was doing very well at school and was enjoying most activities (still refusing to do some things that are hard for her, such as cutting with a scissors, etc.) and seemed happy to be there and is becoming more and more verbal.  She did indicate that she is reluctant to get on the bus at school too.  Gracie's teacher was as concerned about this as I was and she suspected it may be do to some behaviors by other children that ride the bus.  She confirmed this today after talking with the bus drivers.  These are children she has in her class, so she will be working with the drivers and the para professionals that ride the bus to see if she can assist with some behavior modifications.  I'm thankful that she was willing to investigate and act on this.  Gracie used to love seeing buses, now when we see them or if I tell her she is riding the bus today she says "no".  She is always happy when I refer to school though, so that is a good thing. 

I think I've rambled on long enough.  I hope you are having a good week.

Love,
Lisa, Jeff, and Gracie