Nora goes to Nursery

Eli is not the only one getting older around here.  Sometime in the past year (I'm not entirely sure when - even though it happened right under my nose), our sweet little firstborn left toddlerhood behind and became a little girl.  She turned a whopping four years old a few weeks ago and is sassy and smart and kind and cranky and helpful and selfish and clever and capable and confident and careful and is a big ball of emotions.  We love watching her negotiate the world.  

And today her world expanded a bit.

Today she went to nursery.  

Nursery, for those of you who are not Brits, is a bit like day care and a bit like pre-school.  Most will take kids as young as 3 months and as old as 5 years.  The children go to age-appropriate classes and do lots of age appropriate activities (including lots of messy play!)  In the UK, once a child turns 3 years old, they are entitled to 15 free hours at nursery per week (more than that and you have to pay).  We've decided to take advantage of about 9 of those free hours.  Nora will attend 2 afternoons a week starting today.  

Nora doesn't need nursery.  She is a very social child and has lots of other opportunities to interact with lots of other children.  We do lots of activities together at home.  She is reading and writing and her reasoning skills are phenomenal.  Ben or I can certainly look after her - it's not like we're both working full time or something like that.  No, Nora doesn't need nursery.  She's going for the pure enjoyment of it.  

Over the past few weeks we've talked a lot about the fun she will have, the teachers who will help with whatever she needs, how she needs to listen to them and to be kind to the other children, how she will meet lots of new kids, and how she will make lots of new friends.   (Nora has never met a stranger.)

She couldn't wait to go.

As we approached the front gate, she could hear the kids outside playing and started running down the sidewalk yelling "Hi guys!  I'm here!!  Hi guys!  Hiiiii!  I'm heeeere nooooow!!"  

Needless to say, she had an excellent time.

I, on the other hand, missed her all afternoon.  The house was too quiet.  I completely forgot to sit down with a cup of tea and a book and take advantage of some alone time while Eli napped.  I just kept watching the clock and counting down the minutes until I could go pick her up without looking like one of those clingy moms who can't be away from her kid for more than an hour without having a meltdown.  I may be one of those moms, but I didn't want to look like one of them.

Does this get any easier?  How do I slow this life down?  And, can't I keep her little forever?