Promoted to the Toddler Room

When I pick Sabrina up from daycare in the afternoon, I've recently started peeking into the windows of her classroom before I go in. Just so I can casually observe her when she doesn't know I'm there. Well, today I did this... but no Sabrina to be found! Not sitting on the floor like the others watching the teacher sing and clap, not in her crib sleeping. Hmmmm. So I walk in and the teacher tells me that Sabrina's been "promoted" to a new classroom.

Wait a sec! My baby's been promoted out of the "infant 2" room? A sudden realization washed over me: Sabrina will never be a baby again, and before I know it she won't be a toddler anymore. I teared up. Not sure if it was apparent to the teacher or not. She had actually told me a week and half before that Sabrina is "so ready" to move onto the next classroom and suggested that I push for that with the center's director. I hadn't had a chance to, though, it just happened when I least expected it.

I pulled myself together and walked down the hall (brand new territory for me since I never had to walk that far down before). And there she was, in one of the "Toddler Rooms". They designed this place really well. There's a regular sink, but it's 18-24 inches off the ground so toddlers can learn how to wash their own hands. There are little tables and chairs. Everything is labeled in big print (DOOR, REFRIGERATOR, SINK, etc) so they can learn that everything has a name. The classroom is set up for only 4 toddlers. As it turns out, that classroom was shut down for the summer because the 3 toddlers in there with her now have been away since June (I think most of them have teacher moms). So they are all in there for the first time, all together.

And guess who one of her classmates is? You guessed it, she's been reunited with her pal Jacob. Oh boy! There's also John Henry and Lucy -- very nicely balanced!

They do a lot more activities in this room: arts and crafts, building things, they go outside more frequently, etc. I'm really pleased that she is in a stimulating environment.