Carolyne

Two Days In

Carolyne has been at daycare for two days now, and I’m happy to report that all seems pretty well. She’s still not sleeping there quite as much as she did at home during the day, but she seems pretty happy and, except for a few minutes on the first morning, hasn’t erupted into wails when we left.

It was hard enough to know what she was thinking even when you’d spend all day with her, but now it’s impossible. It’s not that I think she’s living some kind of double life at daycare, but who knows? There must be some side of her we haven’t seen simply because she hasn’t been around many other kids at home.

This much we can report: our girl is now the Texturizer. Everything must be touched, scratched even, to gain a measure of its roughness or smoothness or bumpiness. Nothing is spared, be it her high-chair tray, couch cushions, necklaces or the cats. Especially the cats, who have remained remarkably patient as they are lovingly mauled. At least she doesn’t have enormous hands. Even her daycare mates get this treatment: this morning one approached her car seat and, almost by reflex she thrust out her arm, like a tentacle.

Some people learn by sight or ear. Carolyne, it seems, prefers touch.