Milestones and Frustrations

It has been an interesting, challenging, tiring, and thrilling time here in the Kingdom of Micah. (Stick with me while I vent and I'll reward you with some photos at the end!) We transitioned to a new daycare a few weeks ago -- a big center that comes highly rated by our local quality agency. He's one of the youngest children in his new room -- everyone else is walking and a bit more verbal -- and in the new room (and all toddler rooms) they only offer one nap a day compared to the two and sometimes 3 he was taking at the old daycare. So we probably bit off a bit more than Micah could handle, though, by also trying to transition him to cow's milk from formula at the same time. He had no problem at all getting used to new caregivers and a new room; there was no sign of separation anxiety at all.

BUT.... and this is a big but, he's had some, er, intestinal adjustments ever since all these transitions started.... and each time it happens, daycare calls us to take him home. They have a very very strict policy for sick kids and draw the line at one diarrhea incident, after which he can't return for at least 24 hours. So far they've sent him home I think 3 or 4 times, despite my obtaining notes from our doctor stating that the symptoms in question are being caused by the milk transition, not a contagious disease. I am so lucky to have a job that understands my need to be flexible for my family, and I certainly enjoy spending time with Micah, but after having a very healthy and playful kid home with me for 6 or so days while I'm paying VERY good money to the daycare, I was NOT feeling the love for this new daycare, which is supposed to be inculcating my kid with a values-based education, but was not making me feel kindly towards them.
Today was a nice milestone where he was at the daycare for two continuous days, but only because I took him in late so that he could get the messy business done at home instead of at school. Gross for me, but the rest of the day was phone-call free, at least until they called to tell me that he'd lost his balance and hit his forehead.


No, that does not mean Micah is walking. He stands up well and is balancing without holding onto things for longer and longer stretches, can lower himself down with the grace of a yogi, and has an amazing amount of proprioseption, but is showing no interest at all in walking. That's OK with me -- even though he's heavy, I'm still enjoying carrying him on my hip like a little gorilla baby. Daddy is eager for him to walk, but daddy hasn't the faintest idea of how much trouble that will bring. Even without walking, he's getting into more and more trouble: climbing up onto surfaces not meant to bear his weight, doing pull-ups to reach something on top of our TV cabinet, opening kitchen cabinets to explore what's in. It is going to be a busy time here as we scramble to stay ahead of him!

And below, the promised reward photos from our recent vacation to Massachusetts!

Unimpressed as we take Micah to the spot where we got married a million (I mean 3) years ago...

OK, not a Massachusetts phone..... a trip to our local JCC pool where we met up with a good friend and her newborn baby.

Cute pre-haircut photo that I staged to illustrate the Q page of Micah's ABC book. This is the only photo I had to stage for the purpose of the book!

Micah was not exactly the best company at our long-awaited vacation lobster dinner. Our staging this photo caused quite a few laughs at the surrounding tables.