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... anyone, Schoolhouse Rock? Just me...?

Now almost 2 weeks into day care, Tommy is doing very well. The first 2 days he was confused, but the place seemed nice, he just wished we could stay. Then he took a day off and returned last Thurs and Fri. Then he was onto us a little bit more and started crying as soon as we walked in the door.

This week started off with us descending the stairs to day care and Tommy repeating "No... No... No..." Tears and screams again at drop off, but Paula assures us that he cries for just a few minutes and spends the rest of the day happily playing. He clearly adores her. He waves bye bye to her, or lets her give him a kiss goodbye (as long as I don't let go...). She says he checks in with her all day long (did I write that last week?). He always wants to know where she is. He pats her chair for her to sit down a read. Apparently he likes a "Barney" book. I hope it's because he likes the name and thinks it's about a dog and not that we're going to start watching Barney... "no way, no how, no Barney the Dinosaur" (Dem. convention... ? anyone...? grandpas, not you of course)

Tuesday, we didn't even make it to the stairs, he recognized the house the second we pulled up and fell apart. Tom started school Wednesday and gets picked up by his new carpool buddy so drop off is all me now. Tommy was distracted by DaDa's absence and that helped us get to the gate. When I rang the bell he had this nervous whine but pointed to the gate. I asked him if he wanted to go inside and he nodded so in we went. Still tears when I left, but he is clearly happy to see Paula and the toys/other kids. Today was even better but with a more dramatic departure. She tells me that some kids cry all day, but Tommy does not. Just a few minutes, he eats his breakfast, the other kids come (he's usually one of the first) and he is fine all day. He loves playing outside. They have like Flintstone cars and he was apparently playing with those yesterday. Not only driving, she said, but packing up all the other toys and putting them in the trunk. He also is very helpful at clean up time... I have to learn that clean up song!

He's clingy for a while after we pick him up and then clearly enjoys some quiet, decompression time. It's loud there, even coming from a house of Finn barking, so he tends to snuggle close or play quietly by himself when we get home. Then around 6:30-7:00 he gets a 2nd wind and runs around like a crazy person until we wrestle him to sleep. He naps once a day now, at daycare, and is doing very well with that.

He is going through a picky eater "stage" (go ahead, bring on the comments, God is already teasing me you can too). Dr. Solomon said that could happen around this age but that he'd grow out of it. Did he tell you that 29 years ago, Mom? She has discovered his love for cheese, however, so knows that some Mac & Cheese or a cheese sandwich will win anytime. And apparently he's mentioned his obsession with bananas because she knows about that too and I didn't tell her!

Best story of the week: I was sitting on the couch and Tommy was roaming around the living room playing when I heard him talking and pointing at the fireplace. I realized that he was counting the bricks! Seriously. He did it again, "one... two... three" pointing at the bricks. Now, we've counted with him and done "1, 2, 3" to go down the slide or whatever but we haven't counted things really. I asked Paula the next day if they'd counted and she said very seriously, "Of course, we count everyday" Well, he is learning and we are very happy!

I hope this satisfies all... sorry I can't come through with a new picture or that video I promised a week or two ago that's still on my video camera! A three-day weekend approaches!