Happy New Year!

We hope the New Year brings you good health and happiness!

(Our first orange crop)

It dawned on me that I haven't been posting too much about Elena's development and milestones and that's because she is growing and developing like a weed, I can't keep up!  Some that come to mind include requesting to eat cereal in a bowl, with a spoon and milk at 19 months and at 20 months she started lifting the bowl of cereal to drink the left over milk.  She has been saying her name is "nea-na" for some time but at 20 months (as in a couple of days ago) she started saying her name correctly.  Just last night she changed her word for book from "booh" to booK, really emphasizing the k.  Right now she is very interested in climbing and figuring out how things work, she seems to know who she is, has self confidence, and is independent.  Generally she gentle and plays well with other kids unless she is tired and then she turns mean.  She has amazed us in 2010 and we're looking forward to watching her grown in 2011.

This year, I am giving up my stay at home title and will be back to work.  The decision to go back to work was a difficult one.  Even after making the decision, I had serious doubts I would return because I struggled to find a suitable day care.  Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of options out there: Center, Small In-home, Large In-home.  Some things may seem trivial but I'm a mom with an idea of how I want my child to grow up.  I don't want Elena in shoes all day even at nap time and this was a big reason we didn't go with a center.  Finding a good in-home day care was nerve wracking.  I found a few good homes with openings but as I reflected on the visit/interview, there was too much tv, too little outside time, too many kids when you consider their own kids, and then the jaw dropping--take the day care kids with while taking her own kids to after school activities.  Finally as I was getting ready to throw the towel in, I found the Little School.  Elena has enjoyed her visits and I am hopeful that she will transition easily.  The school is near our home and their philosophy is to build critical thinking skills and learning through child led play.  The philosophy is the same as the SDSU Children's Center--our first choice for day care (of course it's full and we've been in the waiting pool), both are unlike anything else I've seen out there--natural day lighting, no harsh indoor lighting but still well lit, no shoes inside, plus child lead learning, and healthy balanced meals with low sugar and low sodium.  Here's to hoping the Little School works out great and Elena transitions easily!