the long and winding road...

I've been really busy...
Well, I'm back to work and Georgiana is halfway through her third week of daycare. I'll be honest, the first week was tough, on both of us. I took that week off so we could transition her to the small in-home provider we've chosen. The first 2 days she stayed for only 2 hours but by the 3rd day she was up to the full 4 hours. The first day, she cried. I gave her a kiss and a hug, assured her I was returning for her and handed her over to Sylvia --who is just perfect, very calm but firm-- and out the door I went. Hysterics from G. Surprisingly, no tears from me. I'm a practical and logical person by nature. I felt we'd chosen a good place, the right person and I really thought that Georgiana would be happy and enjoy being around the other kids. I knew she'd cry, I expected it, I knew that she'd get over it, I knew she'd be ok. Calm, cool, collected...right.

Bobby and I went to breakfast and I called Sylvia about 20 mins later just to see how things were going. I could hear G crying in the background and that was it, my heart broke. It absolutely sunk. All my logic went flying out the window and left me with only my emotions. My baby. was crying. for me. My baby, who had spent a year in an orphanage having some but not all of her needs met, was crying for her new mommy that she was just learning to trust. I am certain that she felt she was being ditched again. Handed off to some new mommy. Ouch. Daggers to the heart. Complete and utter guilt.

The first few days she didn't eat much while she was there, stuck around mostly inside, played with a few toys, and refused to let go of her stuffed monkey that she took as a comfort item.

But, things did get better. By the end of the week, she was down to a one minute whimper after the morning handoff. By the end of the week, Sylvia reported that G dropped the monkey after a while and played more.

The following monday, after the weekend break in our new routine, brought a little more crying but by the end of that week, the routine had taken hold. Georgiana now smiles when we turn the corner near Miss Sylvia's house and I begin to sing her the little song I made up to cue her to what we are doing:

"We're going to Miss Sylvia's house
Miss Sylvia's house,
Miss Sylvia's house.

We're going to Miss Sylvia's house,
where you can play and have fun!!!"

The reports are good. She's eating well, playing outside daily and seems super happy --although tired and ready to go home --when Bobby picks her up just after lunch. What a relief!!! So, objective and logical mom was right after all, but it was still rough on emotional mom and baby.