Preschool drop-off is a bit dicey with the girls, and I suspect it will be for awhile until they've acclimated to the new environment. There were some tears on Tuesday morning, but the teachers took the girls by their hands and led them into the classroom. I stuck around, after giving each one a big hug and kiss and a promise to return just to make sure there wasn't any protracted crying. There was not. Carolyn was happily getting as much red paint all over her hands as possible and Helen was by the toolshed reviewing the plastic toy tools. I left the building and came home and showered in a very quiet house. Admitedly, I did take a slightly longer shower than my usual 6 minute job and it did feel wonderful.

Driving home from the school, it seemed so poignant that the carseats were empty. I think it sort of hit me then, at that moment, that the girls are moving on and growing up. I suppose I had a moment or two of sadness, but truly, I couldn't ask for a better or more loving environment for them to spend two mornings a week. Some signs of *early* success that the girls are making their way at preschool is that they are generally in happy (if not exhausted) moods when we pass the playground area (the playground is next to the parking lot) and they want to go back in and play. They also talk alot about what they ate at snacktime (I have to say, this is gender specific and they'll be talking about what they ate to their friends, work collegues, spouses for the rest of their lives!) I am able to cross-check their reports with the teacher's schedule since she posts a weekly web-update of activities. Email me if you are interested in reading this and I'll send you the web address.

One nice development from preschool is that the girls have stopped being the velcro-twins in the County classes we attend on the days they don't have school. For the last year, they generally stayed on my lap and more or less whined during gym, music or art. We had our good days when they would jump up and participate with vigor, but we also had our rare days when I'd have to leave a class because they were both comlaining loudly that they wanted to be anywhere else in world than to be sitting on my lap during a class. Today, for eg., Carolyn proudly and loudly announced "I'm Carolyn!" to the entire class. Helen waited until she was home to look at Carolyn and announce in perfect english "That's MY sister!"

We visited with Aunt Nette today and Helen said "those leaves are shiney" while pointing to some potted plant with shiny green leaves in Aunt Nette's backyard. I didn't even know she knew the word, shiney. The girls like to talk about Aunt Nette's pets, Trudy, the beagle, and Ginger,the 18yr. old cat. The girls like the animals in theory only. When we try to let them pet each-animal, they completely back-off. Aunt Nette never fails to tell me how impressed she is with listening to both girls talk. They had a marvelous time chasing brightly colored balls that are just for them at Aunt Nette's house.

Preschool!

Yes, hard to believe for all of us, but Helen and Carolyn are officially in preschool. We got to preschool this morning and there was alot of commotion since the older kids (the REALLY big kids of 4!) were playing outside while the youngsters were going inside to their first day. Today was only a one hour session in which the parents attend and stay with their children the full amount of time. At first, Helen was a tad clingy but Carolyn walked right in and both girls were immediately greeted by their teacher Debbie and their TA, Denise. Debbie and Denise had set up various activity stations in the classroom so the children could wander about freely to whatever object, toy, colorful shape caught their eyes. Carolyn saw an art project waiting to happen; the paint colors next to her very own "Carolyn Catan" preschool canvas bag and she was all too ready to get paint on her clothes, hands and the table. She had to be convinced that it was OK to put the paints on the bag itself. Helen dove right in. I have video; no tears! Not even a droplet. They had a good time, got to use big girl pixie cups at snacktime, ate their very first cookie--with was a Pareve Graham Cracker, and participated in storytime and introducing themselves. Carolyn only got upset when another little girl was having a hard time with all the stimulation and started crying alot. Helen and Carolyn both feel distressed when other children seem upset...so I had to explain that the little girl was OK and she wasn't sick. Carolyn thought she might be sick. Then, Helen and Carolyn both offered their theory on why she was tired "Tali sleepy?" Must take a 2yr. old to know a 2yr old!

At the afternoon park experience today, Helen and Carolyn made a game of helping each other on a small moving bridge. One would stand at the base of the bridge and the other would extend her hand to step off. It was amazing to watch, and what was really amazing was that I actually got to SIT DOWN and watch it!

The true test of wills will probably be on 9/14 when I bring the girls to their classroom, and then leave. This is such a far cry from last fall when I enrolled them in music-class and they became the Velcro twins. They would not leave my lap for almost the entire 15 week session. On a bright note, I got some mean deltoids now! Who needs a gym?

It seemed an appropriate evening to write a post, perhaps because it's been almost 3 busy weeks since my last post but also more fittingly, it is the eve of the day before preschool and it's also 9/11. Not surprisingly, I did find myself wafting back to memories of Monday, Sept 11, 2001, which is I guess my personal historical "Kennedy" moment, being too young to remember the assassination of our then President, but hearing-with remarkable clarity- my parents comments on where they were, exactly what they were doing, and what their horrified reactions were. I am hopeful our girls never experience a "Kennedy" or "11" moment, but in our precarious state of affairs, it may be a bit too much to hope for. My thoughts are with those children who are now growing up without one or both parents and all families who lost loved ones on that tragic day.

Onto some happy events, I had a eureka the other morning. Carolyn announced at breakfast that we "don't grab toys". She announced this without provocation, in the midst of stuffing her mouth with Cheerios. She has a certain fascination with whatever toy Helen is playing with, even if she has an identical toy in her hands. Helen started this phase of grabbing from Carolyn months ago but soon became bored with it mainly because Carolyn remained aloof when a toy was grabbed from her. She simply looked at Helen, and moved onto something else. The Mother in this situation (that would be me) still lectured Helen on proper etiquette of toy distribtion (hey kid, next time, grab harder!) and Helen lost interest within a few weeks. Helen is anything but aloof if a toy is grabbed, so we have an ongoing issue of ownership in our house and usually some loud complaining. Now, I want to be clear that this small eureka only lasted a moment. Later that day, we still had the "we don't grab toys" discussion, which by the way, has gotten quite succinct and the Cliff note version, for anyone wondering exactly what I say, is "we don't grab toys". I do not offer a long, psychological discourse, nor do I present a religious perspective about what Moses might do in a similar situation. I mention this small moment, because it dawned on me that there should be a GIANT INTERNET adult sticker board--much like the ones I've been encouraged to keep for the girls during potty training-where I can place a gold star for having a child who not only listened to but repeated what I said. Nevermind it had no lasting influence. The point is I got one minute of satisfaction. According to Andy Warhol, I get 14 more minutes to enjoy some fame elsewhere. Let's hope it's a TAD more exciting than having my daughter decide "we don't grab toys" is a fun thing to repeat at breakfast.

Today, when we crossed the small cul-de-sac at one of our early morning parks, I didn't have to remind the girls to hold each-other's hands. It was an eerily appropriate gesture to mark 9/11.
In closing, I'd like to quote this line from "Wonderful World"

"I see babies cry,
I watch them grow,
They'll learn things, that I'll never know
..and I think to myself, what a wonderful world".


Preschool stories are on their way....