Preschool at Two? Really?

Yes, really. Tomorrow at 8:30am I will drop Mikey off for his first day of preschool. I went today to check out the digs, and he was immediately consumed with his classroom. Everything amazed him, he was like a little sponge just taking it all in. When it was time to go, he cried. And there's nothing like waiting til the last minute, so of course I had to immediately sign him up in the last available slot, and attend open house that afternoon. $280 later, we were offically enrolled. We went back to open house with our 3132...err 3231...whatever, shot record, in hand. Again he was completely into the classroom and his new surroundings, and yes, cried when it was time to go.

Why? One may wonder, why on earth I'd stick my two year old in preschool if I don't HAVE to. Here's why:

I have 5 kids, a home business, a social life, a Target addiction, and a loose translation of "structure". I think having these two mornings with kids his age, in a classroom setting, will be extremely beneficial to him (and me). He'll make new friends, learn social do's and don'ts (not taught by his older, sassier, less cooth brothers), have a chance to learn new things academically without mommie having to constantly stop to tend to other people/things, AND see that he doesn't always have to be attached to my hip.

As for me, I will have just over three hours two days a week to study and do homework. I will use this time to head to the library with Eli and focus on my own school work. It'll be time to really work undistracted by the computer, or the phone, a screaming-mess-making-sponge-bob-watching toddler, or even worse...housework. It will also mean that my evenings won't be crammed with schoolwork after the kids go to bed, leaving me exhausted and drained from having to stay up late at night trying to hold my eyelids open to study.

And as for Eli, it'll be a perfect nap time for him, without Mikey stealing his blanket or laughing as he yanks his paci/lovey/etc away from him. And if I don't have to spend the whole time studying, it'll give Eli some much deserved one-on-one time with mommie.

This is the plan, I'm looking forward to seeing if it actually works out the way I envision it. Wish me luck tomorrow!