School’s In for Summer! Also, viruses.

Ellie started “school” today.   Using the Aunt Sarah approach we had a lot of discussion in the days leading up to prepare her mentally.  Phoebe was quite excited about this.  Ellie was only excited about the arrival of her cute but poorly made pack-pack.     We dropped Ellie off into her room which was on the opposite side of the “school” from Phoebe, that is to say on the side of the building where you should be using BSL-4 precautions at all times.  Upon quick observation I noted that Ellie was the only girl among the six or so kids in the room and that the other five were playing with what was probably the teacher’s iPhone.  Business as usual.  She continues to cry and cling at dropoff which makes me feel like a jerk when I have to push her away.  After a brief adjustment thought, she apparently is thriving.   I have noted a lot more counting and singing and clearly they are spending some effort with her education.  Her teacher, Ms. Erin, seems great.  I am looking forward to having quiet mornings on Tuesday and Thursday at the house between dropoffs and pickups but that has yet to happen because Ellie picked up a virus, either from school or from Cristin which knocked her out and now has taken Phoebe out which mean that instead working I have been making play-doh ice cream.   I would be hesitant to say there is anything positive about the children being sick, I suppose building up the immune system might be one, but in the short term, Phoebe’s fever seemed to suppress her “I want to do it” mode which is good because the play-doh ice cream maker is the biggest piece of junk.   She was content to just give orders while I made the cones.  That was fine with me. At least I accomplished something.   I might put that in one of the blank categories in my annual review.