Busy, busy!

That is how my day was. Woke up way too early, showered, got Joshua up and dressed, dropped him at day care, went to work, meeting about Friday's fundraiser (which I will post more on later!) Dinner, Joshua to bed, Washed about 20 bushels of cider apples. (phew!) That was how my day went, how was yours?!

Tomorrow is the first cider pressing day of the year. So tonight we were washing and sorting many apples. But it will all be worth it for a delicious glass of fresh pressed cider, or cider with spiced rum... mmm... so many adult cider based beverages to choose from. but I digress.

Today was Joshua's first day back at day care after a week off in New Hampshire. He is getting better and better every time at the drop off it seems. He still definitely does NOT want me to leave, and certainly knows where we are when he sees the house and even the general direction we are driving in. but once I drop him off and am out of sight, I am told he is quite the charmer, which I don't doubt. And today I was told he cried for no more than 10 minutes or so after I left then was ready to play with the other kids and enjoy the day. And when I went to pick him up he was playing nicely still and was all smiles and being his normal goofy self, which is awesome, because last time I went to pick him up I was told he would start crying every time one of the other kids got picked up and he was still there. :(

I am trying to be tough for him through it all, though I understand his pain a bit, I think. Joshua and I were home together for a year and a half all the time. I was lucky enough to work the majority of the time from home after I had him. and I feel very lucky that I didn't have to rush into day care (or paying for day care.... OY!) But part of me thinks day care may be easier on the little ones when you start them young. I feel like it can never really be easy on the parents. It is that constant battle between not wanting to need someone else to raise your children and not wanting to miss a single second of their lives as they grow and change so quickly vs. knowing how awesome the right day care can be, and how much kids really do get out of having a good place to learn and play with children around their own age. I did tear up at the first drop-off, I admit. I told myself I wouldn't, and really believed that until I actually had to hand my child who was crying for Mama to another woman for the first time *tear.* But all in all, I am feeling very happy with our decision to do part time day care, and I am very glad I stumbled upon the day care I found. It is about five minutes from where I work and right on the way. And the women who work there are awesome! I was also very lucky to find someone who is very familiar with allergies in children as her own have been through many of the same experiences as Joshua has. This was a big plus for me!

That's all for now. Sorry for the lack of pictures. I promise there will be a cute photo shoot happening in the near future! If you have read this far without pictures, I thank you.

Ok... maybe a few pictures... these are pictures of Joshua from about one year ago... aweee

To day care, or not to day care.

With Joshua's first birthday approaching, and my work load increasing between my full-time job and freelance, I have been playing with the idea of enrolling Joshua in day care part-time. I have ready things like, children who go to day care, develop social and language skills faster than children who do not. But on the other hand, I also know that children who go to day care get sick a lot more often than children who don't.

I was browsing around online at lunch time, just to see what there was locally. Generally, I think most day care facilities prices are ridiculous for most people in this bad economy. But, I did stumble upon a place right in Exeter, where my office is, that offers part-time and per-day day care rates. It would be $50 per day or $225 a week once Joshua turns one next month. I don't really like the idea of day care for a few reasons, like I said before, kids get sick more often when they go to day care, also it's very expensive and we don't have much as it is. But I can't help wondering if he might benefit some from going one day a week. When I am at home with him I am juggling working, him, and all of the other household chores. If he went in one day a week, it would normalize my schedule some, in that I wouldn't have to stay up till all hours of the night to finish a days work when he goes to bed and things finally settle down. And maybe it would help him develop and learn things that a trained teacher/provider can teach more easily that I can, and shouldn't I give him every advantage that I can?

I may fill in the form for more information and the schedule an interview. Can't hurt anyways. I still need to talk to the man of the house about this one. I have a feeling it won't be received well, but we'll see! Any ideas or thought are day care are more than welcome! I'm curious how other people feel about this topic.