Things continue to improve

at least with preschool. This morning she was kind of whiny and "I don't want to go to school" and "I want to stay home" and "I want to cry for two minutes".

For some reason, I decided at the last minute that we should get a different kind of snack (she was supposed to bring cereal bars, since she was the snack person today, and I had brought some hippy-dippy organic ones which we like but which I feared most of her classmates would not). Going to the store distracted her and got her all excited, and focused her attention on her role as "snack person" which helped.

So we got to school and there was a bit of very minor intermittent whining. We were a bit early so sat in the hall and looked over the Scholastic Books order forms, went potty (not in the hall, obviously), chatted with a couple of other moms and kids.

She went right into the classroom once Mrs. J opened the door. I walked in with her, gave her a kiss, she started up with the "I want mommy" but it lasted about two seconds, with no actual crying. Mrs. J immediately redirected her to some new activity and apparently it was perfect from that moment on. I arrived a bit early for pick-up and she was completely into the activity, laughing, having a blast.

She ran out with a huge grin, all excited. "Mommy! I didn't cry today!" So I made a big fuss over how great she did, took her out for ice cream, and we proceeded to have a really terrific day together.

It was ODD -- I did a lot of cleaning and throwing out all the junk mail and random chores, and she was absolutely wonderful about just going about her business, entertaining herself (playing with dolls, other toys, reading books). So completely unlike her usual self.

This was after a full-on screaming tantrum last night before bedtime because she didn't want to pick up a set of toys she'd been playing with (which are now in time-out).

I am beginning to think she has actually hit some new development level -- she seems a bit more articulate, cognitively a bit further along than she was just a week ago, just plain different somehow. She'd been an absolute beast the last few days before this.

Just now, I remembered that both Hannah and Emily had periods of being absolutely horrible, bratty and out-of-control (at least for them) right before they'd hit some new stage of development. Even as babies, it seemed like they were extra difficult right before they did something like sitting up, walking, learning new words. I suppose there is a chance that we hit a difficult period that coincided with the big change of preschool starting?

I still am kicking myself for starting her in Montessori, since obviously she has a totally different attitude about this new school and there is a chance she might not have gotten this clingy separation-anxiety regressive behavior going if she had simply STARTED at her current school. Argh.

It was starting to remind me of colic -- I remember getting bitterly resentful, angry and almost contemptuous of people whose babies actually slept some of the time and didn't need to be nursed literally 24/7. I couldn't see straight, I was so envious. I have felt the same way recently about three-year-olds who separate easily. It's amazing how fast I lose perspective.