Early to Bed...

So the girls and I have started taking our Fall classes.  This past spring, if you had asked me if Olivia was in preschool (which was, rather to my surprise, one of the first questions asked of Olivia by any grown-up person we met), I would have said, "no!" and thought to myself, in a rather presumptuous and smarmy voice "I am the first educator of my child, thank you very much!"

Now, as preschools are starting up, and Miss Olivia is asking about backpacks and playgrounds and all of that paraphernalia that makes school interesting, I realise that I've got a precocious three year-old and a cold winter coming up, which, in Chicago, means a lot of indoor time.  Together.  Alone.  With a lot of "why" questions...  For months.

Our brief but exciting courtship with a "real" preschool ended up with all parties disappointed.  Fortunately, Olivia didn't know too much of what was going on, and was sweetly excited when we "investigated" a possible school for her to attend.  I went in to inquire as to the availability of space for Olivia and left feeling strangely poor.  I left feeling strangely poor - I can't believe how much preschool costs!!  We ended up playing on the playground as a reward.

Therefore, dear reader, I have constructed a Fall schedule, which not only encompasses Olivia's budding education, but mine and Elsie's as well.  Here is our plan:

• Mondays - Spanish Day
• Olivia and I are going to learn The Hidden Words of Baha'u'llah in Spanish together, as well as various vocabulary and phrases, and practice throughout the week
• As a side note (for which, it seems, I am notorious) living in Chicago with dark hair almost immediately puts me in the "she must speak Spanish" category.  To my embarrassment, I don't.  But, no longer!!
• As another side note, Mondays are also the days that I have a bellydancing class.  But that is another post.
  
• Tuesdays - Swim Day
• Olivia started her first swim class when she was 6 months.  Elsie is starting hers at 8 months.  Get 'em young, I say.  Baby swim class is primarily a bunch of moms and dads holding their sometimes screaming children in the warm water pool at the YMCA and bobbing around and singing little songs like "the Hokey Pokey" and "Ring Around the Rosie," which are paired with special movements designed to get your baby acclimated to water.  Sometimes too acclimated.  Elsie ended up with a snout full of water during her first class, but she bore it well.
• Wednesdays - Music Day
• I disliked piano lessons, mostly because they were 30 minutes during which my lack of practice over the previous week was revealed to my long-suffering teacher.  I would often feign sickness, but my mom would send me anyway.  Once, however, I was actually sick and vomited all over my teacher's new second piano.  I can't imagine how one cleans sick off of piano keys.  My poor teacher...  My poo mother...  Poor me...  That being said, Olivia is slated to start her lessons in the next few weeks...  We shall see how this goes.
  
• Thursdays - Gymnastics Day
• The ad said that jumping on the furniture was just one way to know that your child is ready for gymnastics.  My thought is, "will this release that pent-up energy or make more?"  I hope the former, but am prepared for the latter.  Our poor downstairs neighbors... 
  
• Fridays - Ecology Day
• This is actually mostly for me.  With Elsie tied to my back (or front), I will tromp along with Olivia all over the Lighthouse Landing dunes in Evanston every week to learn about plants and animals.  In any weather.  There is a snack involved somewhere there, too, but I am mostly excited about the potential to wear galoshes.  I love galoshes!
• Other bits
• These are mostly for me, and include a yoga class, an exercise class and an elliptical machine at the YMCA.  At various points in the week, when I get up early enough or can sneak away in the evenings.  Which leads me to now, 5:30 AM, and a hurried goodbye, so I can wash last night's dishes and don some stretchy pants for a 7 AM power yoga class.  Power yoga?  That's another post!