I can’t bring myself to pay $ to put her in a real preschool, and the thought of having a gaggle of preschoolers at my house for a co-op preschool makes me break out in hives.  Instead, I ordered some preschool materials online (www.funsteps.com), and Vivi and I spend some of the most delightful hours each week in “Mommy/Vivi School.”

This new addition to our routine is one of the best things I’ve done as a mother. The one-on-one attention Vivi gets during our “preschool” time is priceless; it helps set a happy tone for the rest of our day.

Last week, our theme was “Favorites.” Coming off the high of baking banana bread together (her favorite food) and reading Book of Mormon stories (her favorite stories), her sweet smiles could not be contained. And neither can mine when I think about our special Mommy/Vivi time together.