Happy Retirement

When Mia came home from daycare last Friday evening, I found a little note in her backpack while clearing out her lunch bag. It was from the main teacher in Mia's classroom of 2 year olds - she wanted to let us know that she was retiring on January 10th.

I checked the calendar - January 10th was the end of the week. 7 days notice? At first, I got kind of mad. How can you only be giving me 7 days notice?? Then I realized, what exactly would I have done with more notice? Found a different daycare? Of course not. We love our daycare. We chose it because it was close to B's branch, but he has since been reassigned. It is certainly not the most conveniently located daycare relative to both our house and both of our work places. But, Mia has become so comfortable there since starting at 10 months old, that I have absolutely no intention of taking her out until she starts kindergarten. She has a best friend, she (and we) finally knows all the different teacher's names. We aren't moving. Whoever they are replacing Miss S. with, it'll be someone Mia is already familiar with, and I'm sure that person will show as much dedication and love in her new students.

But to Miss S, we will always be grateful. Mia is about 98% potty trained, thanks in great part to her. I can't imagine potty training a room of eight two year olds simultaneously, but she did it. We noticed a few months ago that Mia knows all of her letters - she'll identify letters as she spots them, while we're in the car, walking around, wherever. She knows them all -- and I'm certainly not the one who spent time teaching her that. I'd like to think that I would, if I didn't spend all of my time with Mia also juggling housework. If I didn't spend 8 hours a day away from her, 5 days a week. But, thankfully, we have a place that we can trust with her, a place where she is flourishing, comfortable and loved.

So to Miss S, and the other wonderful people who care for our kids while we can't: Thank you. And Happy Retirement.