Spiders, caterpillars, tenors and the gentle separation

Every week there is always an amazing milestone, achievement or something special. After a while it becomes the norm, but each on it's own should always be celebrated in some way.

This week is no different. The biggest moment for all of us was Aurelia going to school. Ok it's really just a drop off play group, but the essence of being in a school like setting without mum around is a BIG step for any child. Aurelia was very ready to take this step, it was the emotional side that concerned me. She is ALWAYS with me, aside from 1-3 hours on the weekend that she spends with dad and the occasional times she wants to go to the playground with our Italian sitter. Usually they stay home as I work in the other room.

But thankfully the school has some wonderful teachers who create a very warm and nurturing environment where hardly any children cry and parents can stay as long as needed, till the child is ready. I thought that would take Aurelia 3 months, but no. Into week two I went from 20 min separation to 1.5hours by end of the week. I am so proud of her and so impressed with the teachers. Despite being punched, scratched and hair pulled in those 2 weeks (all by boys) Aurelia loves school and loves her teacher Jennifer. She doesn't want me to go but has a great time when I am gone. And although I try to avoid rewards and punishments, she earned her first green lollipop. When she would be big enough for school, she would be big enough for a lollipop. I have never seen her prouder than that day with that stick hanging from her mouth and later staring at the mirror at her lovely green tongue. Thank goodness I didn't go with the school with bells and whistles where they think crying at separation is normal.

Winding down for a nap after school has been a challenge so off we went for a stroll in the neighborhood. Despite my goal of getting her to nod off, I saw 4 fuzzy caterpillars on a railing and since we hadnt seen any all year I got Aurelia out of the stroller check them out. She loved them, especially the green one. We went and got a stick to help them down and into a garden where they could have some lunch. It was fun, educational and memorable. As I see a crying toddler in a stroller with a nanny being short with him pass us by I think how lucky Aurelia is to have mum at home and I to be the one with her all day. No nanny would stop and catch caterpillars with her.

Imagination and story telling from children is just priceless. This week Aurelia told me how she had a spider in her mouth for 2 hours then she blew it away. She likes to tell the time "it's 29.05" and plays in the hall way where she looks at her Internet while on her scooter and declares "oh no it's 6 o'clock, we are late" and scoots to the other side to repeat it again, and again...

My favorite is her phrasing. Finishing sentences or statements with "I am done", "so anyway..." "perhaps", "oh sorry, sorry mum" and good old "maybe". Somehow she has learnt to use her manners perfectly without ever telling her what manners are aside from occasionally reminding her when appropriate. Manners weren't on my short term to do list, but luckily it got done. Monkey see monkey do I guess. Most entertaining, it's seen in playgrounds with Aurelia kind of pushing though clearly stating "excuse me" to some other kid.

Tonight we went and saw bocelli in central park. I scored VIP tickets and they were great! Barilla did an outstanding job with all their free stuff. We got to keep beautiful wooden bento boxes and cooling bags that our dinner came in. Love barilla even more, so it worked. Aurelia was so inspired she came home and sang like a tenor for 30 minutes. Bocelli was more talented, but Aurelia was more entertaining.

Ok now what?

Finally succumbed to blogging online. I use to blog years ago about life in New York pre-motherhood, when looking back I had a bizillion hours of free time. So no promises where this will lead..
So who is Noopsy and Wawah? Well Noopsy is actually a pull along snoopy dog from nonno Carmelo, but Aurelia couldn't say snoopy back when she first started uttering her first words. And Wawah is Olivia, her talking baby doll who amongst other sounds says waa wahhh as she cries. Took me a while to put two and two together. Clearly she wasn't interested in the name given by her nonna vincenzina.
18months later Noopsy and Wawah are still very much loved and part of our extensive family.
How will I use this blog? Most likely a recording of aurelias memorable sayings which I don't ever write down (bad mum I know) and anything that inspires. Her art, parenting information, photos etc..