WE HAVE A PRESCHOOL!!!!

Yes!!!! Apparently my procrastination and unwillingness to believe Ryan will turn 3 this year did not get in the way of us finding a spot. No one informed me that finding a preschool was more difficult than getting into college. Because I am lazy and in denial, and because it involved $ and I didn't know what was too expensive and what wasn't, I just hid under a rock. Luckily, I am in a playgroup and lots of mom's did some leg work for me--whether they knew it or not. If someone didn't like a place because they thought it was dirty or something of that nature, then there was no reason for me to see it. I totally trust them in that. There are a few names thrown around town that let me know which were supposed to be the good ones. Ofcourse Montessori was high on the list, with a few church preschools, and a few smaller home preschools. Again, I had the info but did nothing. They all had wait lists and I knew it would be a while before any spots opened, plus most places wouldn't take Ryan until he actually turned 3...and there is the whole potty training issue.

Ethan's mom gave me the number of someone she knows from church and said she was always full and heard great things. I did nothing with the information. Then Ethan threw it away. Then I asked for it again and finally called. They were full but she asked me to come take a look. I never called her back...are you seeing a pattern here? Then on Tuesday she called to say they had an opening as was I still interested. Wednesday my mother in law and I took Ryan for a tour, then went back again last night to show it to Ethan and attend the open house. And now Ryan is enrolled in preschool. Holy moly how did that happen?

I'm thinking some strings were pulled, but I'm not sure. I really liked the teachers, philosophy and curriculum. Its at a house, which was something I didn't want in the beginning, but when your house is that big it really doesn't matter. They have a separate classroom upstairs, and utilize the dining room and family room, plus have a huge outdoor space with all kinds of fun stuff. It was clean and organized. They had the whole schedule for the entire year already done/ themes and all. They will take Ryan in a pull up and ecourage him to go potty, though they won't change him. They do not have the time to do that and I understand. So, cross your fingers he poops at home!!! And ofcourse that he is potty trained soon.

My only apprehension is that we will most likely be the only family that does not attend the same church. While this is not a church affiliated program, I think the preschool was populated through word of mouth at the church. That is not bad, other than I hope Ethan's mom or anyone else doesn't use this as a way to try to get us to start going.

This is kind of another post all together, but Ethan and I were raised in different religions. His family went to church every Sunday and was active in their church. My family was not, but we went on certain familial occasions (mass for dead relatives, etc). My great-grandparents were church goers on my dad's side, but it seems to have tapered off as the generations became more "Americanized" and weren't so rooted in the old country. My dad lectured us that we should go, but never went himself and well, you know how well that works with kids. My sister and I did have an interest as teens and went for a while, but stopped going for whatever reason. So, when Ethan and I started dating this was a hard thing for us because his religion tends to like to stick together. We decided in the beginning that we could get around this by agreeing that neither of us was trying to convert the other, especially me since my instruction in my particular religion was limited. He attended church w/ me a few times, I went to a couple of functions with him, and while I'm sure his family would have rather he married someone of their faith, he didn't and they are stuck with me now.

We have amazingly been able to deal with this for the 16 yrs we have been together. It was not an issue again until we had Ryan and weren't sure how to handle that kind of an explanation. All I could come up with was that we both believed in God, and felt we could communicate with him without being in a church, and that we wanted to install good values in Ryan, and hopefully we are doing that. We'll answer his questions the best we can. I'm not sure why I got into this, other than I'm a bit nervous about being the odd one out. I'm older now and know how to deal with this kind of stuff better, but it brings up the nervousness I had when Ethan and I first began dating when it was so obvious that we weren't coming from the same place.

There you have it. Ryan starts school Aug 15. Bets on if I will be sobbing?