I'm not sure if it's because my second kid is a girl or it's just her personality, but she is brimming with moxie. This chick watches her brother like a hawk and then attempts to do every single thing he can do. She sees him drawing with markers and pens, and she has to do it. She sees him riding a tricycle, and she has to ride it. She watches him climb on stools, chairs and couches, and obviously she has to do the same. One time, she went into the playroom and proceeded to get really quiet. After a few minutes, my husband wandered in to check on the kids, and there she sat on top of my son's paw patrol table, having climbed up onto the chair next to it and then onto the table. Just sitting there on top of the table, triumphant in her achievement. This gal is 16 months, going on 6 years. And you know what? I don't worry half as much about her as I did with my first. It's amazing, really, because I am a grade A control freak. This girl has taken my control and thrown it out the window, and I'm probably a less frazzled person overall (marginally so).
Because she's my second, I don't worry as much about small things. Hell, even large things don't give me the level of anxiety and stress I felt with my first kid. However, I am currently feeling particularly anxious about her going to daycare; stressed with a pit in my stomach as her first day approaches pretty much sums it up. I mean, I was a wreck when my firstborn started daycare, but I am downright beside myself over her going. I'm not sure exactly why; maybe it's because she's about 6-7 months older than the first one when he started, or maybe it's because she's knee-deep in a phase where she only wants to be with me and clings to me like a leech. Perhaps it's because her stranger-danger sense is super turned on right now; she pretty much runs away from anyone she's not super familiar with, including family members she sees on the regular. Now, eventually after a little while, she will warm up and adjust and stop freaking out, but it takes a minute for her to come around. The thought of her being dropped off at a brand new place she's never been to before full of strange people she's never met feels downright cruel to me.
Everyone around me is assuring me that she needs daycare and she will be fine. There will be an adjustment period but eventually she will acclimate. I know all this and realize that she will be safe and cared for. But I feel the way I feel about it and I would just appreciate some validation, rather than a dismissive placation. The only other person who seems to share in my dread is my mom, and that's because she doesn't believe in daycare. She thinks it's too much for a little one to handle, that it's too long of a day for a small child. (i.e. we never went to daycare when we were young, we were looked after by my grandma) Whatever, I'll take it. My misery needs the company.
UPDATE:
My daughter's first day of daycare has come and gone, and man, was it a tough day. I cried tears of worry and sadness in the morning, and then I cried tears of relief in the afternoon after the daycare sent pics of her activities at school. She didn't eat or drink anything that first day, but my MIL picked her up right after her nap and she got to spend the rest of the afternoon in a familiar place. Overall, she did just as expected for her first day, and I was so relieved to get through the day. Her second day: even better than the first. Fewer tears from her (and me) and I got a couple of videos sent to me of her teacher trying to get her to practice jumping. It was adorable and she seemed to be genuinely enjoying her time there. My heart was so happy today.
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