This week Auden started "real" preschool!
When we moved to Vienna we found a home daycare/preschool that was Montessori based. It was larger than his last home daycare in Arlington and she actually was certified to teach kids until Kindergarten, however, it seemed like most parents took their kids out by age 4. We had a few issues with it, primarily the lack of outdoor time and space. Additionally, although the teachers there were so loving unfortunately their English was not great and it was rubbing off on Auden. So, Cody gets the gold star because before we even found a house in Vienna, Cody researched the best preschools and put Auden on the waitlist at Appletree, the school he just started. We were offered one of the few summer slots because we were high up on the list. The school has ages 3-5 in the preschool program and then they actually have Kindergarten too for kids that may not be ready for the elementary school yet. It has a great weekly music class and special activities you can sign up for like gymnastics and ballet for additional cost. We are thrilled with the school and Auden LOVED his first two days so far!
Last Friday Auden got to pick out his backpack and boy was he excited for it! In fact, he wore it everywhere...in the store, playing in the house, going on walks, picking blackberries with Daddy and in his pjs watching tv. Perhaps Auden and his backpack spent too much time together because on Sunday night he put his doggie backpack in time-out on the step (where Auden has to go for his time-outs). We asked what his doggie backpack did wrong and he said doggie wasn't listening to him:-)
I think I was more nervous on the first day than he was! He was already pretty excited to go because we took him by on Sunday to peek over the fence and look at the awesome huge playground. Also, he knows his neighbor Gianna goes there and they are good buddies. She is a year old than him and her parents talked to her about taking care of Auden on the first day and showing him the ropes. She did such a wonderful job and was waiting for us as we got onto the playground which is where the kids go in the morning until everyone arrives. She swept him off to the merry-go-round almost before he had a chance to say hello to his new teacher. I stuck around to talk to his teacher and another new parent and by the time I wanted to leave I couldn't even find him and Gianna. Eventually, I found them in a little tunnel. Auden kissed me goodbye and had no reservations about me leaving (which is bittersweet of course!). So then I went inside and scoped out his classroom and took some pictures.
There are 8 kids in his class altogether, they are called the "blue ducklings." Auden is in one of two 3 year old classes that started this week, the rest start in the fall.
Considering Auden isn't ready to leave when I come pick him up (unlike all his daycares), I would say we've had a very successful first two days at preschool! The cutest part, that I don't have a picture of yet, is that his school has a small outdoor atrium that has a coy pond with turtles that we look at on our way out everyday. We are so happy he loves it and he will be here until he starts Kindergarten in September of 2015 (yikes, let's not think about that yet!).
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