Week 1...The Waddler Room

Today marks the 1-week mark of Lyla starting in her new room at daycare...The Waddler Room.

We were very excited for this transition as she was extremely bored in the Infant Room. But when I say transition I mean transition. We went into this with much excitement. I kept thinking how much fun she'd have playing with her friends which transitioned a few months earlier. And all the fun times ahead for Lyla: daily activities, art projects, music class, reading circle, etc... We were all so excited for this next step. What I was not prepared for was the actual "transition phase." YIKES. This transition has been far worse than when I dropped her off as a little baby and went back to work. Lyla now has an opinion and can definitely communicate when she isn't okay with a situation.

Day 1: I left in tears as she sat on the floor with her arms in the air reaching out to me with tears rolling down her cheeks....

Day 2: Repeat of day 1

Day 3: Daddy's turn....success!!! No tears from daddy or Lyla.  Lyla was officially playing her mommy:( 

Day 4: Repeat of day 1 & 2

On day 4 we got Lyla early for her 12-month doctor appointment. We left out of there with a prescription for a double ear infection.

I felt SO bad...I assumed Lyla was irritable because of the hour time change, starting in a new room and nap schedule and cutting her one year molars. The poor thing was also sick on top of all other things. This week shaped up to be a very bad week!!! 

Day 5: The entire Austin Family stayed home...

Which brings me today - the one week mark.  Dropping her off is still hard but getting better. She doesn't start crying until I start to walk out of the room.  Last week she started crying as we walked in. It only has to get better from here - right!!! 

Here is a picture that shows she is VERY happy...as long as she doesn't notice I am around :) You gotta love separation anxiety (sense the sarcasm)...I feel so loved by the fact that Lyla doesn't want to say goodbye...but it's SO sad to walk away!

The little blonde boy right in front of her is her buddy Hudson. They were in the same infant room and started the Waddler Room the same day. It's so sweet to see the two of them sticking together.

She is about to spot me :)

Lyla is going to have so much fun in the Waddler Room. Every day when I read her daily log I am so excited about all she is doing. Today she followed her teachers around the room as they played the role of different animals and asked Lyla to mimic...hopefully giving them her best Mooooooo performance.  She also painted an art project "Pigs in the Mud", played dress up and enjoyed the circle game 'Froggy in the middle".   What a fun day!!!

And finally...since being in The Waddler Room she is already picking up some new skills...like eating with a spoon...check her out:

After a rough week I now feel comfortable saying The Waddler Room is a success.  Lots of fun times ahead for Lyla...aka...Lyla the Toddler!!!