Day Two

On Friday, as planned, I stayed close by at home while Elsa was with Gabriela and all "the other kids." We arrived right around 8:00 a.m., and I was able to get her to go inside with me first thing. There was only one other little boy there, and Gabriela and Grandma were already well into the process of making bread dough, as though all other days are gluten free at Gabriela's, Friday is quite gluten filled with the baking of fresh bread every week. Elsa definitely remembered playing with the nesting Russian dolls on Wednesday, and pretty much immediately migrated toward them. As other children arrived, we all ended up outside, and Elsa explored the yard, visiting the chickens, the trampoline, the sandbox, and, of course, the climbing contraption I described before that has the swing dangling just above the platform.

After awhile we went back indoors, as the dough had risen to the point that it was time to knead. Most of the children sat around the table, and each was given a small cutting board, a child-sized rolling pin, and a piece of dough. Elsa surprised me again and did not really want anything to do with patting or rolling the dough, despite the fact that she loved listening to Gabriela recite the "Pat-a-Cake" nursery rhyme (she is really into the nursery rhymes these days -- especially those you can sing). I think part of her disappointment might have been that she thought she was going to eat the bread right away. Eventually she was back over in front of the dolls once again. By this time I had been there nearly an hour, and Elsa seemed to be venturing off and playing a little on her own, so Gabriela asked me what I thought, and I told her that I would go ahead and leave, but to definitely feel free to call me if things started going downhill. I waffled a little over whether to interrupt Elsa's play to say goodbye, but in the end decided not to disrupt and likely upset her and just headed out the door.

I never got a call. And it was amazing what I was able to accomplish at home. By around 12:15, I decided to head back over and see how things were going (the main pick-up time is around 1:00 p.m.). All of the children were seated in the storytime circle inside, and I could not spot Elsa until Gabriela subtly pointed to her seated in the same stroller I found her in when I arrived on Wednesday. Only this time she was awake. She had not noticed me, but said something about "mommy," and then she turned her head and saw me and just simply said, "Hi." I found out later that she spent a significant amount of time in this stroller, but Gabriela was fine with it because they were able to move around and she was still able to observe and even take part in some of the activities (including snack). Gabriela thinks the stroller has become her safe haven, and that she might even associate it with me since I was seated beside her when she woke up in it on Wednesday. Gabriela asked if Elsa had a blankey or anything that she is attached to, and I told her that she does have a small blankey that she sleeps with. She thought it might help to let Elsa bring it with her for comfort, but that I should probably have a backup if we do that. At first I was not sure if I wanted to aid in further attachment, but after talking to some of my friends, I think I might just let Elsa keep the extra blankey in her cubby at Gabriela's. That way she just has the one in her crib and the one there at school. I have already ordered the extra.

We stayed a little longer, and Elsa was able to eat some of the freshly baked bread, though would not try the watermelon (I, however, ate a piece and quite liked it even though I never been a fan). We could not leave without more climbing outside, and I realized that she has already basically mastered climbing up AND down the thing on her own. It still makes me a little nervous, but she was really doing a better job when I was not trying to help her. Overall, I think she improved from just the first day to the second. Wednesday is a ways off, though, so I am curious to see how things go then.

Right now, while Jarrett and Elsa are having fun together at home, I am enjoying the luxury of enjoying a long weekend on the Eastern Shore in Maryland with some of my dearest girlfriends. My friend, Alison, was lucky enough to marry into a family with such a gorgeous piece of land. We are staying in a quaint cottage on the property, right on the water, and it is just so peaceful and beautiful. Pictures and another post to come soon. Right now I am trying to get over an unwelcomed migraine so I can go join the girls at the pool.