I just wanted to update you all and thank you all again for your words of support.
It turns out things ARE getting better! She still cries a lot on the first day of her week there, but much less. She's just started talking at school...one of the first things she told her teachers was a lecture on where all her "people" were..."Mommy is at work, grandma - work, friend lini at school, daddy work...." and so on until she had told them where everyone she knew was. She has also started signing again, even to the point where teachers from different rooms come in to ask her signs for things they are teaching in class. I think she feels proud, if that's possible at her age in this situation.
Thanks for the idea Grinity, We now have a playdate with a boy in her class that is always hugging her when she is crying and stroking her hair when she is sad...I can't wait to see how that goes!
I still don't have a pulse on how much she is participating, but I'm so pleased that things are going better. She used to tell me all the time "Maddie (she always refers to herself in the 3rd person :)) sad-- cry school". Today she said "HAPPY" and I said why are you happy and she said "school...friends"!
