Daycare Part VI - The End :)

Wow - I can't believe that I'm typing this - but - our daycare search is over! We have found a place!

A combination of teamwork, printing the lists, calling those on said list, visiting those on said list, follow-up calling the main contenders, going over our budget with a fine toothed comb, and a 2 hour conversation after work on a Tuesday, and we've got a decision!

I made a few re-calls and new calls last Thursday and the LAST place I called the woman talked my ear off - just started giving me information without me even having to ask questions. Family owned and operated, qualified staff, facilities over several acres of land, outdoor play areas, taking the babies outside in nice weather, etc etc.

Naturally this phone call came at the tail end of my dinner break, so I was driving back from the Panera listening to this woman chatter on. And I was sold! She said to stop by anytime for a tour!

I popped in before work on Monday at 7:30AM, and can I just say - it IS like when you find the perfect college - you just KNOW.

I met with and toured with a different woman than who I spoke with on the phone but she was awesome! Totally unphased that I just stopped in and gladly gave me a tour, and I even met with the nursery teacher (one of them out of 3) and talked to her and saw the other Mommies and Daddies dropping off their babies, all happy and ready to get their play on!

I got the packet of information including registration forms and headed on to work with a smile on my face and a quick phone call to J to share the good news.

He jumped on the wagon with me and popped over there after work the very next day and experienced the same thing - asked them lots of questions and enjoyed his tour.

We ran the numbers (when it daycare NOT expensive really, but we can make this one work), and made the decision to enroll him with a start date of September 6, 2011. The day after Labor Day, the day I plan to go back to work.

I called the next day, after being at a loss of how to fill out the paperwork since we didn't have all the info yet, and the owner said she marked us down, we have our spot, check in closer to time, and we can pay and get the paperwork filled out at that time when we know more. Wow! So nice!

So we're in - we're really in! And we're happy about it - like really happy about it - like I didn't get a single bad or weird vibe and like I'd really not mind dropping him off there everyday! I so never thought I'd get to this point - but I did - I really did!

Oh, and the week before you go back to work, you get a free week in so I can drop him off for a few hours or a whole day any time that week to get used to the schedule of traffic etc. So that's cool!

Although I think J will mainly take him and pick him up unless I cut back to half hour lunches at work and get out at 5 instead of 5:30 and get him a little bit earlier - but I think it'll work itself out so either way, he'll get picked up before 6pm :)

Phew, another big thing off the list!