Mixed feelings

This morning we brought Madeline to visit the daycare she'll be attending beginning in July. She seemed happy enough ...

... but of course we have mixed -- well, actually almost all sad -- feelings about this impending change. In any event, she clearly liked the exer-saucer. And she napped in a swing outside as other little ones played around her (not pictured).

The afternoon held another event about which we had mixed feelings going in (though our worries turned out to be unfounded): Madeline's four-month checkup, complete with shots. Before we departed for the clinic, Madeline and I got in some time with our new toy.

At the clinic, Madeline was pronounced even fitter than a fiddle. She's 15.5 pounds and 25.25 inches long and full of properly working muscles and brains. And as I suggested earlier, the shots went about as well as possible: they provoked a brief cry that gave way to smiles within a minute or so.

Nevertheless, we were feeling a bit drained from contemplating daycare and fretting over Madeline's potential pain from shots, so we took the very long way home from the clinic, stopping in Bristol to enjoy ice cream and the bay, complete with playing kids and moored sailboats.

Summer dipped Madeline's toes in the bay, but unfortunately neither of us could see her reaction in real time. Judging by her confused look at the water moments later, she wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing.

Back at home, she was happy as a little clam. Wednesday we drop her off at the daycare for two hours without us, so hopefully by the time she does a full day we'll find ourselves somewhat less emotionally taxed.