Dear Liam,

You’re such a big boy! Today was your first day of “school,” also known as EduCare, the built in daycare for staff at one of the schools in the district where I teach. It was tough for your daddy and I; you’ve been home with us since you were born, and it’s been just you and daddy since October when I went back to work… so today the house felt a little empty without your chatter to keep him company while he worked.

And can I confess something? I know it’s crazy, but part of me was terrified to leave you with someone that wasn’t family for the first time. As silly as that sounds, it’s even crazier to confess that a very tiny part of me was also worried that you would suddenly love your daycare teachers more than us, simply because you’d see them more hours of the day on weekdays than you would see us. The thought crushes my heart even though I know it’s completely irrational and impossible; I know that this is just one (hard) part of being a parent, and learning how to let go is inevitable and necessary. Am I embarrassing you yet?

Needless to say, your first day of daycare was big step for all of us, but you seemed to take it in stride. I’m sure it was much harder on me than it was you, but we’ll all adjust to the new routine soon enough. And honestly, it’s going to be SO GOOD for you to have the opportunity to interact with other kids your own age every day. When we brought you in this morning and sat you down on the mat with the other infants, you were in complete awe. You couldn’t take your eyes off of what all of the other kids were doing! And there were so many new cool toys to check out, too! It also helped that your teachers were all very warm and caring; this made leaving a whole lot easier for us than I had anticipated.

At the end of the day, though, I couldn’t get over to pick you up fast enough. I just couldn’t WAIT to see your little face, hug you tight, and kiss those little drooly baby lips. (This is where you groan and say, “MOM! Now you’re embarrassing me!”) Of course the endless smiles you flashed and the happy flailing when you saw me made me absolutely melt. Naturally all of the teachers love you, and your first day report was great. They couldn’t stop gushing about how sweet you are! All of this made me feel so much better. It really wasn’t the end of the world after all, eh?

love,
mama