– 1:14 pm

Day 1 – Lian is doing really well and is happily playing alongside Riley in the garden.

That was the headline from the nursery where you’ve been throughout the month, three times a week. The name has grown on me. I squirmed initially but now I think it fits the tin rather perfectly.

The drop-offs have been dramatic – tears, screaming, and a general sense of abandonment (by both parties). Today, however, (Oct 11, 2024,) your mother said you were very mature about it all; “very serious”, she said. You ran through the alleyway, knocked on the door, went in and that was it. She waved and left.

I have to keep reminding myself why we’re doing this, why we’re sending you off to this place to spend an entire day with strangers. I am grappling with this concept from an emotional standpoint.

Logically, we’re doing it to give you more of everything, everything an active two-year-old needs. More engagement, more time outside, more toys to play with problems to solve in a fun way, more challenges to overcome, more people to meet and interact with, more ideas to ponder, and more life to live. With our current schedules, it’s impossible to check all these boxes, not between dinner preps and work commitments.

Your grandparents have done an exceptional job raising you so far but they also need a break. Your energy levels are travelling in opposite directions. Nursery means we can give you the best of ourselves when we have you, fatigue-free. The separation unites us in the evenings. The quality is better.

Nevertheless, the emotional turmoil of walking away while you weep is still something we (or at least I) haven’t normalized. That will take some time. That said, you love the place. You are the chef’s favourite because you eat all the food she makes and Katie your key person has nothing but good things to say about you from behaviour to etiquette. I do however take all of that with a smidgen of salt. What else are they supposed to say right? So I can’t lean into that too much. These comments aren’t all that surprising though. You are extremely well-behaved, especially in public. So in all, nursery is going well and it’s a good thing for you.

A few Saturdays ago, late last month, Liza and I took you to the barbers for your first trim outside both houses. (I’ve cut your hair before and your grandmother trims your sides all the time when you’re eating). Started with tears and ended with “Actually, this isn’t so bad. Anyway, are we done? Alright, let’s get the fuck outta here”.

I’m also teaching you basic sign language. We’re five gestures in. I am in awe of how well you retain and playback information. It’s frightening. It catches me off guard all the time. At the time of writing, you can say and recognise “yes”, “no”, “baby maybe”, “please”, “thank you”, and “are you OK?”. It only took about a day or so to incept and now I just repeat whenever the occasion to use arises. You’re ready for new words.