This week the most interesting happening isn't even really a happening yet at all, but decisions that may-or may not-lead to a happening. We have been struggling the last few weeks with what school Alexa should got to in the fall. She will not be 5 until December, which puts her past the August 31st deadline for Kindergarten enrollment, however when we review the list of the topics Mesa considers children should have mastered prior to entering Kindergarten, Alexa pretty much has all of them down already. Mesa allows four year olds who will turn five by December 31 to be tested for early entrance. So our first decision is whether to have Alexa tested for early admission.
Our second decision, is which Kindergarten? In addition to a number of private and charter schools in our area, and traditional public schools, Mesa Public Schools offers three specialty elementary schools within 2.5 miles of our house: a Franklin ("Back to Basics") school [which is also only 2 blocks from our house], a International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Program that feeds into an IB Jr. High, and a Montessori elementary that runs K-6. If we have Alexa tested, we have to sign up at the school we wish to attend. All three programs have strong points and it is so hard to determine now, what will be best for Alexa for the next 7 or so years. That's almost twice as long as she has been alive! wow...
This Wednesday I spent nearly two hours observing the two Kindergarten classrooms at the Montessori elementary and speaking with the teachers and aides in those classrooms. This is the school we have been leaning towards, regardless of early admission, and nothing I saw on Wednesday changed my mind - even though I really like the language/world culture focus of the IB program.
We signed up for the testing at the Montessori school, which won't be until sometime in May. That gives us three months to think about it some more and even if she does test for early admission, we aren't obligated to enroll her. All this leaves us also researching alternatives in case she isn't determined to be ready for Kindergarten or even if she does and we decided to wait anyway. As if looking for one school wasn't challenging enough!
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As for sleeping, we had a really good week all things considered, well up until tonight and even tonight wasn't so bad or unexpected. Monday through Friday Kaya went to sleep in her own crib in the girls' room with little or no fuss and other than her wake ups (which ranged from 1-4 times a night, but we have all been under the weather) slept there all night.
Thursday Alexa didn't like her bedtime choices and actually had her first bedtime tantrum in the last 2-3 weeks (yeah!!!!). That tantrum woke Kaya and we had some trouble getting them both to sleep, but when all was said and done, there were both asleep in their own beds by the time we went to bed.
Tonight, Kaya napped unusually late and wasn't in the mood to go to sleep at bedtime. We haven't gotten to the point where either of them will go to sleep if the are both awake in their room at the same time at bedtime, so Kaya is sleeping in the guest room but I plan to put her back in her crib when she wakes up. She usually fusses some (up to outright screaming) about half the time she goes back to bed, but usually only for 30 seconds or less. Amazingly, Alexa sleeps right through it, as long as it is not within an hour or so before her normal wake-up time, even though she is probably less than five feet from Kaya screaming.
Here's to hoping next week is even better. I would really love to get some good uninterrupted sleep some night soon.
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