And So We Start the Third Week of Integration

This morning was day 10 (supposed to be day 11 but we missed the field trip last week) of integration. The Husband and I have been getting a little stressed about how long it is taking for the Kid to be ready. Friday was an awesome milestone and I was pretty sure that today was not going to be as awesome. It was snowing this morning and I decided to try and get the Kid into his snow pants. He wore them last year but last year was another time and another place and another land (in his mind) for him. I also wanted to get him into snow pants because tomorrow is our, wait for it, FIELDTRIP OF TERROR. I tried to distract him with the Bubble Guppies and I had just gotten one leg in when he looked down and then looked at me and said "Bitch, please". Of course he didn't say those exact words but his "Nein" conveyed it. So being the super mommy that I am I pulled out the big guns.

"Do you want an auto?"
"Bitte (please)"
"O.K. Then the snow pants go on and you'll get a new one" (please have extra Hot Wheels in the closet, please have extra Hot Wheels in the closet)

Toddler boy gold

And so he put on the pants and I ran to the closet and lo and behold, we have a cache of Hot Wheels. I gave him a new car and he strutted around in his snow pants. Crisis averted. We headed out into the cold and got to the daycare. He sauntered in and I took off his layers and then waited for what he would do next. He actually walked into the classroom without a backward glance. My heart burst with pride and I sat down in the hallway and started reading my Kindle.

After about 30 minutes, a small girl walked in and proudly announced to me "I wore underwear to bed last night!" to which I responded "Me too!" and then there was an awkward silence. I continued to read and then another girl, a little bit older than the other one, walked in and asked me what I was looking at. I told her it was a Kindle and that I was reading a book.

"Which book?"
"A novel"
"What's it about?"
"Um... well.. you see... there's this woman in her late twenties. I mean, a princess in her late twenties. And she lives in London, I mean a magical kingdom. And she is looking for love and has had a lot of bad relationships with...princes. And now she is making a contract to not sleep with any... nightlight for 3 months. The end." (I was sweating at this point). Then she gave me this look and walked off.

Ah! Kids! What little sources of sunlight and joy! Just wait til you see me with make up on and out of my hipster-style kindergarten-appropriate wear, kid. Then you'll think I'm amahzing. Then you won't be so quick to judge. Do you hear me?!? Do you?!?! Sorry, the plaid and oversized winter hats are messing with my sanity. I'm calming down.

But anyway, in the end, the Kid spent almost 2 hours playing in the classroom with the providers and in the vicinity of the other kids. Big step! Huge! I am definitely feeling more confident about the integration. Tomorrow is the, wait for it, FIELDTRIP OF TERROR! And then it is the Husband's job to get the Kid fully integrated by the end of next week. Ha. Ha. Sucks to be him.