Upward

Yesterday, when I picked Gracie up from daycare I was greeted with a story. Mrs. Hagi was so tickled that she’d apparently tried calling me for an immediate recount.

Gracie and her best friend (which, by the way, they’ve been teaching her to say- best friend) were fighting and L pushed Gracie to the ground. Upon her ‘not nice’ scolding L had a melt down and threw herself onto the floor flailing and crying. Mrs. Hagi scooped Grace up for a diaper change and injury inspection.

I am told that Gracie tried to escape in order to go comfort her friend, then she turned her comfort to her teacher.

‘Is OK Hagi. L fussy. Is OK.’

I’m sure the look on her teachers face was much like mine when I was told this. How on earth can a 22 month old show such compassion and understanding? How did she communicate such a direct and semi-complicated thought? Where did she learn the word fussy?!? – Especially to know the meaning and use it in a sentence.

On the heels of one more example of how Gracie is developing beyond her age, this morning we received the paperwork. The one little standardized form that will bring a whole other host of opportunity and development into her world.

As of September, Gracie will graduate up to the two year old room in daycare.

This means the real teaching will begin. She will have lessons in writing the alphabet and her name. She will be exposed to Spanish language classes. She will get to tussle in the big pop-up Dora tent, complete with a ball pit.

And she will be a little kid in a sea of giants again, the baby once more. I will hold my breath for the first few days hoping to have her returned to me unscathed. I know she will be fine. I know she will flourish. I know the teachers truly do love her and that the bigger kids are old enough to know right from wrong, which makes her inherently more safe….

But still, almost two years have past. My baby isn’t a baby any more. I keep trying to stop calling her my baby. I know she’s a big girl now, but it is hard. With each graduation I have to give up a little more control. Give Gracie a little more independence. This graduation makes my stomach do flip flops for the changes that will come in the next few years.

She is brave though. She is smart. She will excel.

She is ready for this. She is.