We will never really know what goes on at preschool. We can only piece together the small clues of stories, snippets, and conversations that make up this giant puzzle. So far, we know that K.Lo now looks forward to her time there and only occasionally protests. We know she likes to bring something each day to show her teachers, but then puts said item in her “cuppy.” We know she uses the Employee Rest Room and gets, as a reward, a gummy. (What is the gummy? I’m thinking it must be a fruit snack, although at first I pictured a gummy bear.) She also gets a stamp on her hand every time she visits the rest room. She eats her lunch, which is packed in a Hello Kitty lunch box, occasionally. Her favorite sandwich is butter and jelly, on whole wheat bread, cut into quarters, no crusts. She saves the snack (raisins, goldfish, or pretzels) for the car, or for when she gets back to our office. Always drinks her juice box. When asked about what she learned at preschool, she usually says, “Criss-cross applesauce!” which apparently is the new (politically correct) way to say sitting “Indian style.” We know she doesn’t take well to performance days. And, as far as the general structure and curriculum go at the outsourcer, we have gleaned the following information from daily role-playing, which K.Lo engages in quite a lot when left to her own devices.

• She passes out items (dominos, napkins, anything really) to each “student.” She herself is the teacher. She names most of the kids, but not all—as we discovered through the Valentine exchange.
• Sometimes, we find out who went to Time Out. The scandal!
• She (very occasionally) clicks with the idea of Time to Clean Up. Usually, a lot of *negotiation* is involved.
• She recites the entire Pledge of Allegiance. Out of nowhere!
• She sings a lot of songs I’ve never heard. Something about Blowing Kisses, another about Macaroni. Separately, she sings Yankee Doodle, which we hadn’t really covered yet here at our office.
• She talks about days of the week, which we hadn’t really discussed. She begins with a very enthusiastic, “Do you know what day it is? Is it…Saturday? No! It’s not Saturday. It’s… Thursday!” (She may or may not be correct with her answer.)
• Also talks a lot about weather, which we do at our office, but she’s vigilant about commenting: It’s cloudy today! Or, it’s cold, hot, windy, sunny, rainy (as specific as “sprinkling”) today. Also notes when it’s getting dark out, but that may be our training influences.
• Notes shadows and their sources. (A specific lesson in her take-home training materials—must have talked about it in class, too.)
• Picks out shapes in the clouds, such as a feather and an “upside-down tree.” (Another take-home materials lesson.)
• She chases N.Lo from room to room, shouting, “Come back, Mr. Rabbit! Mr. Rabbit, Mr. Rabbit!” What is that all about?
• She talks about our President, Barack Obama, all day long. Sometimes, she is Barack Obama.
• She’s a ballerina. Pirouettes.
• She likes to exercise.
• And yesterday, she said, while raising her arms over her head: “Breathe IN through your nose and OUT through your mouth.” I guess they do yoga at preschool, too!

It’s all very intriguing, these little glimpses into the outsourcer. And quite a lot to hear from a little employee who never says a word. She’s taking it all in, that one.