While Patricia and Margaret Attend Public School, We're Sending Brigid to Hebrew School

Well, Patricia and Margaret survived their first day of school yesterday with flying colors. Margaret was quite nervous the night before and in the morning because last year at this time, although she was entering a new school and new experience (having been at St. Peter's until now) she had had an orientation prior to the start of school where students learned where their homerooms were, what team they were on, lockers and combinations, etc. This year, as a 7th grader, they had no prior prep and she was nervous about that. Of course, my insight into the situation, telling her they post the homerooms on the wall, that homeroom would be longer than normal to give them the chance to find their lockers, etc., was to no avail. So, what did she find when she got to school? A list of names with homerooms, a longer-than-normal homeroom allowing them time to find their lockers, etc. Most of her friends are on the same team (although I can't right now remember the name) but almost none are in the same classes at the same times. She has no study halls this period because she's taking Spanish, chorus and band, so that eats up what extra time she might otherwise have. But they have a homework "period" at the end of school until 3:30 and she's thinking of staying for that when she needs to. She was beaming when I picked her up yesterday afternoon, so happy to be back, to see her friends. She loves her teachers (so far) and was very comfortable with the schedule. I hope it's the trend for the rest of the year.

Patricia came home beaming as well. She loves her teacher, but she had had the chance to meet her last June on the last day of school. Most of the kids from her class last year are in her class this year with the exception of a few troublemakers who were taken out. They were replaced with a few new troublemakers. But what's elementary school without a handful of troublemakers thrown in? She's one of the 5th graders now, so she's big girl on campus this year. They have their own wing of the school, they get lockers although they won't use them in the traditional sense because they don't change classes and need to store books. But it's an intermediate step between elementary school and middle school and makes them feel grown up. Patricia wanted to decorate her locker so we went to Staples and got a locker caddy like Margaret has. Small price to pay for harmony. So, we're back to schedules and regiments. There's something comforting about that, but it's also a nod and acknowledgement that summer is over. All too fast.

Brigid didn't seem too troubled over the change in schedule and the loss of her summer babysitters. It might be too soon for her to realize the girls aren't a constant in her life anymore. I went to Clinton Community College the other day to scope out their day-care center because they accept part-time kids. The center here at Plattsburgh State accepts full-time only. When Margaret and Patricia went there, they had a different program. The Clinton program is promising and they'll let us know if they have space for Brigid within a few weeks. Until then, we have to adjust our schedules so Jack can get to work at a reasonable hour. We've been fortunate not to have to have the baby in day care full time. But when I told Jack I had been to Clinton to investigate, he said, "You're trying to take my baby away from me." He has a routine he follows with Brigid and it may be difficult for him to relinquish that.

When I was driving in to work this morning, I was thinking about Brigid's vocabulary for some reason. It dawned on me that she doesn't have the typical almost-18-month-old's retinue of "words," or sounds meant to be words. She doesn't say Ba-ba or wa-wa or bay-bee, some of the things I wrote down in both Margaret and Patricia's books (although when she's in the tub, she'll occasionally say wa-wa when I say it first). She says whole words: ball, keys, Blue (Blues Clues), Hello?, Daddy, Hi, Some? (for more). I have heard of some parents who said their children didn't speak until they were two or three, and then they spoke in complete sentences. Brigid gets her points across very well, but she doesn't say many of the typical things. She also makes these sounds with her throat and mouth that have me believing she's actually a Hassidic Jewish Irish girl. Oh, well, L'Chaim, everyone.