A few updates, ideas, reminders and such

I was all ready to talk about the need to bring rubber boots and it up and snows! Go figure.
I do need to remind folks to bring good outdoor gear appropriate for whatever weather we are experiencing, we like to muck about outside each day! It's also important to send your children in clothes that can be improved with a little mud, paint or playdough (ie: play-clothes!)

I wanted to also give a big Hooray for Hallie Hudson, who's joining the Pond as our afternoon helper. She's an original Smallpondling from 15 years ago and is expecting her first baby in June. Marvelously and musically talented, your kids will fall in love with her just like mine have! She'll be coming regularly at 2:00 and staying until clean-up with the goal over the coming weeks of giving me a few hours at the end of each day to keep up with paperwork and planning and, oh, I don't know...go home and make dinner? While Hallie and I will have lot's of overlap, I'm still working on how to best keep communication with parents working with two caregivers. Let me know if you have any ideas. I've found that it's often difficult at the end of a long day with kids and parents going in and out to really give a thorough debriefing of how the day went. There's definitely room for improvement.

I'd also like to put out there that I'm looking for fencing ideas. Have you installed a fence recently or know of someone who does the work at reasonable cost? Let me know.

Every day is a little easier and more predictable than the last at the Pond. As we settle into the rhythm of our days, kids become a little more familiar with new friends and a new space. I'd like to remind parents that it's important to call ahead if you plan to be late or need to cancel...our days are often a fragile ecosystem of activity. I work hard to anticipate the needs of a bunch of little people who don't always need the same things at the same time (napping, outdoor rambunctious time, quiet stories, meals, bathroom breaks etc.) In order to help maintain consistency for all the kids I need to be able to predict interruptions (such as arrivals and pick-ups) and plan for it. Thanks in advance!

See you at the Pond!

Fire marshal permit is complete!

Let the fun begin!

Moving In!

What a fun week of unpacking and visiting with friends! Everyone is working hard at getting the fire marshal requirements checked off the list...it's a loooong list though. I'll be busy building cubbies this weekend and making some fun wall art. If you haven't stopped by yet, please do (and bring your paperwork!) Give a call to make sure I'm around and not in the middle of putting a baby to sleep and then come play!

Best. Day. Ever.

I'm finally moving into the little house. It is so darned cute and sunny I can't stand it! I forgot my camera today but will bring it tomorrow so I can post pictures of the progress. Bea and Fox helped "unpack" all day and friends came over to break in the new space with some rowdy kid energy (who would have thought a giant stuffed alligator could entertain four kids for an hour?)

For those of you who will be participating in the day care assistance program (fantastic program, btw...ask me about it if you're not in the know), I'm still in the process of getting fire marshal approval of the house. Gunner Person is sheetrocking the utility room which now has a new heavy duty steel fire rated door, the emergency lighting will be going up, the front porch is re-built and I'm just crossing my fingers that they will like what they see and sign off on me. The rest of my licensing for the state is cleared and the fire marshal is the last piece of the puzzle.

For those of you who will be paying out of pocket and who do not necessarily need to wait for my licensing to be complete, I am still planning to begin accepting kids March 14th. Keep those enrollment forms coming in! I can't schedule everyone without them. You can now come by the house to visit, just give a call ahead of time to make sure I'm there and not out doing errands.

Hooray!