The gap

Must explain the blog gap....no connectivity these days. Moved out of the house while the kitchen is being reno'ed. The family, including the two cats, is currently living in a small one bedroom apartment. Another two more weeks and we're probably ready to move back in. Can't wait.

Wuz also in Nova Scotia a couple of weeks ago to visit with the grandparents (speaking of no connectivity). Dexter had a fantastic time. He especially loved watching the brook at the back of nana and grandpa's house.

Dex is now 15 months old! Will post a photo when I get a chance!

Another sign

Repetition. Repetition. Repetition. It looks like it's finally paying off.

Dexter started signing for "more" yesterday. I know that I have claimed that he's been signing for "more" in previous posts, but he was actually using the wrong one. He was using the sign for "milk" (squeezing fist) as a catch-all sign for "want" so when he wanted more of something, he would look at the object of his desire and sign for "milk."

The sign for "more" looks like this (fingertips touching together on each hand then tips touching together like two birds kissing).

Yesterday, I was feeding him dinner and when I asked him if he wanted more, he put his two hands together. I thought at first that he was trying to clap, but then it occurred to me that he was actually trying to sign except he lacked the coordination to do it properly. He is using the sign consistently and only in the context of "more" so I'm thrilled that he is actually trying to communicate with me/us!

Day three at daycare

This morning was really tough. I dropped off Dex as usual and just as I was hanging around with him, one of the daycare workers ever so tactfully suggested that perhaps it might help the transition if instead of hanging around for half an hour like I have been the last week, I just stay a little shorter, say five or ten minutes, then leave.

That was my cue to get out of their face, I guess. So I had to say bye to Dex and then the tears started. But enough about me...Dex was crying big time too, and I can hear him as I'm putting on my shoes outside the room, as I'm stealing tissue from the manager's office, as I'm dabbing my eyes in the hallway, and as I'm walking away from the building.

Then he saw me from the window and he tried to defenestrate himself. More crying. More yelling. I should have grabbed more tissues.

Everyone assures me that he will adjust. Of course he will, but it is so tough to go through this.

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Update: I went to pick him up at around 4:30 pm. He was glad to see me, but he did not want to leave so this is a good sign. I think it means that he is enjoying his time there. He wanted to be held and he wanted me to hang out with him on the floor. So that's what we did for a little bit.

The update from the staff is that he ate a lot of carrots for lunch and that he loved the sandbox in the playground. He also managed to nap for 40 minutes this afternoon!

Overall, that was a long day for both of us. He was there for 7 hours and I survived. Oh wait. I forgot. It's not about me.

Daycare

Today was Dexter's first day at daycare. I've come to the realization that while no one can love my boy better than I can, there are probably better people out there who can better care for my boy at this stage. I mean, I can teach Dex how to write a good news release and all, but I'm not really up on early childhood education theories so I really wouldn't know how to best stimulate my child at this stage of his development.

Well, I better go. I haven't quite dealt with all this yet. I'm still all weepy thinking about weaning myself away from my little boy.