All change please, all change!

September approaches, and M and I are preparing for the big changes about to take place in our household.

First and foremost, Joseph leaves nursery! This is truly monumentous - he has been in the same nursery since he was 6 months old, moving from the baby room, to Little Learners and finally to the Learning Centre where he has forged close friendships and ties with his peers and staff alike.

I know we all like to think of our own children as "special" - I'm no different I suppose, but I do think that the staff hold J' in very high regard. He is friendly, happy and polite - basically, they report that it's a pleasure to be in his company. That may just mean he's less rude than the others but I like to think that's not the reason!!

While we feel that he is more than ready to move on, he is nevertheless leaving the relative safety of nursery forever, and with it, all that he is familiar with and has come to know over the last 3 and a half years. The staff, the mealtimes, the marvellous cook (I'll be giving a special mention to the staff at a later date!), his friends (who have grown up alongside him), where to find his toothbrush after lunch, the route to and from nursery and so on

Tomorrow is his "graduation day". Apparently the staff have been busy making graduation gowns and caps for a leaving ceremony that promises to be an emotional afternoon (for the parents I hasten to add!!).

Continuing in the grand theme of change, Annabel will be going to nursery an extra day per week. M's mother has been looking after her for 2 days per week for the past 9 months and I think she is quite looking forward to having that reduced by 50%. Annabel is very mobile, very active and very quick on her feet - a day with her is fun but darn tough!!

From a financial point of view, the pressure will be off paying the double nursery fees , what with J' leaving which is the reason we will be able to let A' go for another day.

Still, if Annabel turns out to be as happy, polite and friendly a child as Joseph, it'll be well worth the same exorbitant sum all over again!

Sorry, did I say exorbitant? I meant "EXORBITANT!"