Her teachers made it. Nevertheless, it’s still heartwarming. Her mark is on it, after all.
Tugs at the heartstrings alright. Makes my eyes water thinking the owner of this little feet is my daughter. And the words, though very simple and written by the teachers, touched me deep.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY fellow moms!! 🙂
———-
a translation on the note written
Mommy,
I love you.
Thank you.
Yui
Moms are weird.
During Yui’s first days at the daycare, my heart weeps as I see Yui bawl with my goings and comings. Her Dad and I worried as her teacher wrote in Yui’s renraku note (the notebook wherein Yui’s teacher writes about Yui’s daily activities & condition & sleeping time and where I put the same for how Yui was at night and in the morning) that Yui didn’t eat much, cried a lot and didn’t sleep much as well. I worry.
And then yesterday, Yui’s teacher said that as usual when I left, Yui cried. But when she showed up (I left Yui to another teacher), Yui smiled at her and actually smiled many times that day. My heart twitches because Yui is now bonding up with one of her caretakers. But of course proud as well because as Hubs puts it, Yui’s friendly character is finally showing through.
And then today when I left my daughter in the daycare, she didn’t cry anymore. She doesn’t look particularly happy, in fact she looks sad. But she wasn’t crying, which is a big improvement. Probably there’ll come a time when the sight of her teachers would elicit a smile on her face. And I think any mother would understand the warring emotions I felt earlier/would feel in the future (for the smiling part) – the heartbreak that your child is becoming more independent from you and the happiness & pride because of her independence.
I chanced upon one of our Japanese wedding Ninong (godfather) earlier in the office elevator hall and told him of the different emotions with Yui’s independence. And with a laugh, he summarised: “if case A, you worry. If it’s case B and the opposite of case A, you still worry. Yes, yes. That’s how mothers are”.
And how right he is indeed.
Yet, there’s the glowing pride in seeing your child is coping well.
Grow well, anak.
It’s only Yui’s second day at the daycare and her teacher already commented that our daughter showed interest in music and how it calmed her.
I hope it reminds her of her Mom and Dad.
On your first day at daycare Moirraine anak (さくらんぼ組), we wish you best on your journey. Rise up and shine! The Good Lord bless you.
Towels, gauzes, drawstring bags for Yui’s shoes and pajama set. And other stuff besides. I’ll be putting Yui’s name on these before handing it over to Yui’s nurse sensei.
It’s almost unbelievable that it’s actually already almost three decades when my own mother also put my name on my stuff for my first day in kindergarten. I remember being very proud seeing my name on my place mat and sleeping mat; could still remember the proud sense of ownership seeing my name on my stuff and that my classmates could see it too.
And now it’s my baby girl’s turn. She’s still very young though to feel the excitement for herself. But soon baby, you’ll get to understand and get excited too. For now, Mommy will try to document as much as she can.
We had our first orientation in the daycare last Sunday. Because the instructions/discussion/materials were in Japanese and because Yui started to babble loudly, I went out the room so as not to disturb the other parents and hence joined the other babies with the teachers playing outside.
While chatting with a teacher, we let Yui play with a Lego piece and a ball. But Yui soon ditched these over a book. At home, Yui actually has more books than toys so I can understand how she’d be interested with the musical book she found.
What was more interesting however was how Yui portrayed her love for the book. I had her sitting on my lap while the teacher was holding the book for Yui to flip the pages on. Yui however was about to tear the page so I gently removed her hand from the page while her sensei lifted the book higher. Just right after I’ve let go of Yui’s hand however, she lifted her butt from my lap to stand and reach for the book. With no support whatsoever to help her stand. First time!
Happy Mom, proud Mom that Yui was able to stand on her own. I wonder when will she consistently do it. And I think I just might have a daughter who’s just as addicted with books as her Dad.