I have had this discussion with the Daycare Director since Reece was 6 months old. I fretted about the day Reece would turn 1 and move out of Miss Betty's classroom and into the 1-yr-old classroom. I tried convincing Miss Anita to make Betty move with Reece to the next room. Anita just laughed and told me "he'll be fine"....

Yesterday in a routine call to Reece's daycare to find out exactly how runny his nose was she told me Miss Betty was resigning for family reasons and her last day would be next Wednesday.

Excuse me?

Miss Betty is leaving? As in GONE? As in Reece will have a new teacher even before he turns one? As in I'm going to have a nervous breakdown?

Reece has been going to daycare since he turned 8 weeks old. It was terrifying for me to find someone whom I trusted with my baby's life and well-being for more hours a day than I would care for him. The moment I met Miss Betty I knew she was that nurturing, kind-hearted woman I would trust with Reece's well-being. I knew he would be safe and loved and would learn and grow with her. The moment we see her in the mornings he claps and smiles and reaches toward her.

Reece loves Miss Betty.

Miss Betty loves Reece. She wrote us a letter explaining to us her decision and how hard it will be for her to leave, mainly because of Reece. She has watched him grow from a tiny baby to "almost" a toddler and has endured sicknesses and laughter with him. All those developmental milestones that happen in the first year SHE has seen happen. This is a very formative and important time in his life and I am glad Miss Betty was there to nurture him the way that she has.

Sure his "replacement" teacher will be fine. Fine. But not great. Not as great as Miss Betty.

How do we say "thank you" to someone so important to us? Words cannot express how grateful we are to Miss Betty for her love and compassion for our angel over the past 9 months. A card or hug or flowers or a spa vacation won't be enough for her. Miss Betty has been our mom-away-from-mom, our hug-while-we're-gone, and our smile machine. We thank her for everything she has done for Reece and we will miss her so very much!