Transitioning to Daycare

Kalia had her 1st day at daycare this past Monday....and I'm not so sure she likes it!

The alarm clock signaled the beginning of our day at 6:00. I dragged myself out of bed (b/c I am SO not a morning person), stumbled blindly to the shower and proceeded to sleep clean up & prepare for work. It's Monday....which is bad enough....but to have to get up 45 minutes earlier than usual....that's just torture in my book!

Anyway, I managed to get myself ready, get Kalia dressed & a cup of milk, and get out the door on time.

Her sitter runs a daycare out of her home (approximately 6-8 kids, I think, from ages 1-5). Mia has been attending since earlier this summer, and it was her mama who recommended Miss Sara. (Miss Sara also has a niece who is adopted from China....so she understands what these 2 girls are going thru). She's so patient & kind, and is looking forward to working with Kalia on her speech & walking.

I dropped Kalia off around 7:40 and she was all smiles....until I handed her to Miss Sara. Then she did a bit of whining and reaching for me. I didn't take her back...and that's where the day started to go downhill. She instantly looked at Miss Sara and pushed her face away & pulled her hair. This has always been a defensive move for Kalia...she did this with Dan when we first got her, and with the girls when we first came home (a few times with me as well....though not as many). When I picked her up (early b/c we had a dr. appt.), Miss Sara's report said she had been pulling the other children's hair & pushing them away. I know this is just something she learned in the orphanage. She's had to fight for everything, and she's good at it. I just hope we can break her of her bad habits soon! She also had a hard time lying down for her nap, which I knew she would (she's used to someone laying with her/rocking her). Miss Sara did say she didn't fight for too long, so that was good.

I picked her up around 2:00 for her Dr. appointment. Unfortunately things didn't get better there either. She had to have 2 more shots, and 6 tubes of blood drawn (as we never had blood drawn at her 1st appointment). Needless to say, she was not a happy camper! She is growing like a weed though....33" tall & 23 lbs. She's gained 1 lb., 6 oz. since her June 9 apointment, and 3/4".

Once home, she showed that she was still very scared & angry with us for leaving her at the sitter's. She pushed Dan & the girls away, whined & threw mini-tantrums thru dinner, and basically wanted nothing to do with any of them most of the night (except me, who she clung to). She went to sleep really easily (which I did NOT expect, and I should have known it wasn't to last), and woke about 2 hours later screaming. She was up & down the rest of the night.

It was so hard to watch her go thru these emotions. I know she's just going to have to learn...but it's so hard to watch your baby struggle to trust that you will always come back. I know this is actually good for her in the long run...as she will see that just because we leave her with someone else, we're not leaving her for good & we'll always be back. But let me just say it sucks to see the pain in her eyes.

Luckily she only attends daycare 2 or 3 times a week, and she got to spend yesterday & today home with Daddy. Cross your fingers for tomorrow & Friday!