Brandon, Barb & Maya too!

Phew! Never would have thought day care search was so intense. There are seemingly an infinite number of day cares in our local area (8 or so within 5 miles?), but most all are either booked or not up to the standard we are looking for.

Barb started off the search yesterday while hitting one of the bigger day cares, Gateway. Gateway is a national chain that is highly regarded, but with that lofty reputation comes a long waiting list. Maya can start there in December, but we really need something in place for August.

It is kind of funny how perceptions of day cares go. The next two stops for us gave us polar opposite perspectives. The first stop Barb hated but I really liked. The next one I thought was horrendous but Barb thought it was the best one yet...

...I'm not really sure what goes into picking a day care. While you try to make it 'scientific' (i.e. toys, play time, schedules, day care givers, etc.), I think it comes down to a gut feeling more than anything.

Today we went searching again for three different day cares (the final three in our immediate area). The first was located in one of the most 'rednecky' parts of Conway, so we didn't even bother with that.

The next one we couldn't even find, so we gave up on that.

The final was a day care center at St. James Catholic Church and we both really liked this one. They also only had one opening for August onward, which was convenient for us. Unlike all of the other day cares who operate at 6:1 and 5:1 ratios, St. James operates at a 4:1 ratio. It is a very modest day care. No real bells or whistles, but it was nice. So, barring an opening at Gateway, I believe Maya will be going to St. James. We will certainly have to talk more about it, but our 'gut feelings' about this location were pretty good from each of us which is a start.

Other than that, things are good on the Maya front. Her 6-month checkup is later this month. I'm going to guess she's venturing toward the 60th-plus percentile in weight at this point and probably getting toward the 50th-percentile in length. Absolutely amazing considering she was in the 5th percentile in length and 3rd in weight just 22-weeks ago!

I still owe some good Freestyle Park pictures from the other night, so I'll try and get them up while at work tomorrow (yes, back to working Saturdays again.......)