Daycare

We heard earlier in the week that Jr. got a spot in a daycare center right next to Chris' work. We were ecstatic, as normally the waiting list for such spots is two years (I will at this moment refrain from elaborating on the insanity of a 2-year list for infant care). We visited the place, and it seemed very nice and secure (it's in a Federal building, so there's serious entry control), but the realization that my days with the D are soon drawing to a close hit me like a ton of bricks.

The concept of relinquishing our child to the care of strangers gave me greater pause than I ever thought it would. It's a necessity, I know, and I also know I would make a lousy stay-at-home mom, but being first witness to all these initial milestones it's tough to contend with the idea that you most likely won't be the first person to see him do the next thing anymore. To go from always there to only there nights & weekends seems like an awfully tough transition, and although he may have an easier time of it than I am imagining, it appears I'll be the one having issues with it... =)

How do you ensure that he has the care and attention he needs? I've been noticing that, as he grows, he's been requiring less constant attention which is heartening, but all the same you have to believe that with a 1-3 caregiver to child ratio there won't be a chance to cater to his every need. Perhaps that's a good thing - he'll learn that the world is not, in fact at his beck and call. At the same time, as a mother, you want nothing but the best for your offspring and you wish you could continue to watch over him, at least for a while longer.

I know I'm neither the first nor the last person going through this dilemma, but I have to admit that being in the situation is far harder than I had expected it to be. September is certainly shaping up to be a big transition time...