I started looking at daycare centers about a year ago when Travis got his job. I saw a few and although I did find one that I was willing to put her in I was not ready to let her go. She was just still so little and not fully capable of tattling about anyone being mean to her. Thankfully my friend Took so graciously agreed to take Carina even though she was at the time 9 months pregnant. I was generous enough to give her a 3 day pregnancy leave after the birth before Carina returned from her Aunt Megan's. Took has taken wonderful care of Carina, loving her like her own fair skinned child. Carina loves Took and her sister in law Ghoy and over the last year they have developed such an amazing relationship. Took got her to nap everyday so that I would have my wonderful daughter in the evenings instead of a little monster. Took fed her everyday, plied her with M&M's to use the potty, didn't charge me a cleaning fee when Carina peed on her brand new couch (because somehow her daddy forgot to put a diaper on her) and taught Carina how to count and say a few phrases in Thai/Laotian. I appreciated Took everyday for this but not so much as I did today when I had to leave my baby with practical strangers.
Carina joined the forces of children of working parents everywhere and went to daycare. I was a wreck all day and worried about her, was she crying, was she missing me, where the other kids ignoring her or hitting her.
When I picked her she was happily playing in fact she didn't want to leave. Her teacher said she transitioned wonderfully and even wanted to lay down and take a nap when she first got there. Carina loves school and can't wait to go back tomorrow. They are having a St. Patrick's day party with cupcakes.
