Preschool: The Deets

I'm going to be lazy and post this from an email I wrote to Dara earlier. It says pretty much everything I want to say here, so why type it twice?

It was great! Brooke (babysitter) met us at the park so that Jason and I could both go to the meeting. Nora will get to go see everything on Friday. There was a part at the beginning where they introduced all the teachers and gave general announcements about drop-off, etc. Then we went in our classroom and the teacher told us more about the details about our class. I know one of the other moms already from ICAN. She was really sweet and sat next to us at the big meeting. I know someone else who has a child in the other 3 year old class, too, so I'll see her around but not in our class.

They have expanded the school 40% since last year, so we had seen a classroom like this before but not the exact one Nora would be in. They have a kitchen area, a "soft" area they call it (dolls and playsilks and other soft things) and an area with implements like puzzles, etc. for them to manipulate. The classroom seems tiny to me, but I bet it will be perfect for a group of 3 year olds. I am used to life on a larger scale! They make their own snacks as a group every day. For the fall it will be brown rice on Tues, applesauce on Weds (bring your own apple), and they will make bread on Thurs. Everyone is assigned something to bring for "communal snack supplies" and we are to bring two jars of organic jelly. We were also asked to sign up to do laundry for a month--it's a once-a-week thing, you take the cloth napkins home and wash them. I don't mind laundry and it's a 4 day "weekend" so I am sure it will be fine. I did sign up for Oct because I wanted it before the holidays and before the baby. They are really into "community" at this school so this is one way our family will contribute to the community of the classroom. Also, since they are a green school they use cloth napkins, have little glasses, plates and bowls for snack, etc.

The whole place is so cool! They have a nature table which they add to daily and change out every week (and seasonally, of course)--that is something Nora is especially interested in recently so I bet she will be excited. They're outside an hour a day, unless it rains. They will be learning to sew and all kinds of cool stuff. I think it sounds SO fun--I hope Nora agrees! I don't know what 3 year old Blair would think. :) I actually think Nora would enjoy almost any preschool, though, because she is so outgoing and loves activity so much.

I will add that I had my glucose test, it kind of sucked, and I don't know my results yet. I have taken a 3 hour GTT before, but it's been 5 or 6 years ago. I had to fast for 13 hours, the drink made me immediately ill (but not enough to ruin the test, thank goodness), and I felt sick on and off for the rest of the day. I totally understand why some low risk women elect not to take it--I do think that for me, though, it's important to know the results. We are conservative and do not take all of the prenatal tests offered, but we will have an anatomy ultrasound around 20 weeks, and if I do have gestational diabetes we will work with a specialist to decide if and when any extra testing is warranted.