On my own

My neighbor, a saintly mother of four, told me about Mother's Day Out last March. It was one of those early Spring days when Addie and I had wandered across the street for her to play and for me to talk to someone who could string a sentence together.

My neighbor must have seen the crazed, I've been couped up with a toddler, look in my eyes. She suggested that come Fall I should enroll Addie in MDO. Her three-and-a-half year old son would be attending, and her older kids had gone as well.

I hemmed and hawed about it. Did I really need my two year old to go to "school" for four hours once a week just to regain my sanity?

Isn't my job to stay home and teach her, and nurture her, and prepare her for her Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech?

I talked it over with my mom, Andy's mom, my friends in the education field and pretty anyone who would listen...the majority vote was ENROLL HER NOW.

So I did.

And today my baby headed off to "school". She was excited, and maybe a bit nervous. She wanted to wear her purple shoes. And she skipped to car after smiling for the camera.

I packed her bag with extra clothes, diapers, a lunch and extra tissues for that runny nose of hers. We hopped in the car and off we headed.

I walked her into her class - 13 two-year-olds, two teachers and one aide. Several kids were crying and screaming. A few were holding their blankies or a stuffed animal. Some were sitting at the table sipping apple juice and munching on a snack.

I led her to an empty chair. She sat down, but would not let go of my finger.

I squatted next to her, told her to have a good time and asked for a kiss.

She let go of my finger, gave me a kiss and waved as I walked out.

I spied through the door window for a minute. She looked around the room wide-eyed. Held her hands together for a moment and then dug into her snack of cheerios and raisins. She was just fine. Brave and ready.

She was just fine, and as I walked to my car, I cried.