Kailey survived a year in hiding! Diana's 5th birthday!

[rolloverrover]

I just now read through all these posts - it sounds like Diana had a wonderful birthday, and it sounds like you are doing a splendid job of raising your daughter!

[lieu2]

I do try to do a lot of stuff while Kaitlin sleeps. But I also need to sit down during her afternoon nap for my own sanity. I think maybe we will get a nanny if she does not grow out of this phase by next year. I am a little concerned about her entering preschool with this stranger anxiety. She is currently 15 months old. Just this week actually and has been tested. She was actually accepted in a 2 1/2-3 1/2 preschool program for next September. I was a bit shocked when the day care suggested her entering preschool. They keep telling me she is advanced. I mean this kid hardly talks in context. But I guess a lot of the 2 year olds don't either. She actually picks a word of the day. Yesterday was bus. And she chats about buses all day long. Like bus there. Bus big. Bus fus. Bus dus. Whatever. It is very strange. I then try to get her to say the word in Vietnamese. Usually she won't oblige. But she is fairly advanced in other ways. She actually recognizes shapes and objects that are formed by shapes. She can do simple wooden puzzles. Although her dexterity is a bigger problem than her understanding. But I think colors completely escape her. She also is pretty shy around adults. Loves other children. Will play and talk to other kids. So I was shocked when they said she is ready. I asked them what is their criteria for accepting a child this young. They said understanding and taking simple direction, taking turns, recognizing games and sitting through a simple story book from start to finish. Which Kaitlin can do. But my husband and I are still debating on this preschool thing. I may just put her in it for 1/2 the time. I think preschool is for 3 hours and she would stay for 1 1/2 and then go up with the babies. But I shall see. What do you educational experts think? They just told us about it yesterday.