As the mom of four little ones (ages 5, 3 1/2, 2 and 10 months) my days can sometimes blend together into what seem like quick weeks so it's no surprise that my eldest starting Kindergarten a week ago snuck up on me too soon. Where have the past five years gone? Well, for starters I've been pregnant several times during that time period so it's no wonder that my recollection of the passing of time includes middle of the night wake up calls, feeding and an overall sense of foggy-brain over multiple birthdays and special family and holiday events :)
But I knew the day would come. She had attended Preschool last year so I knew that Kindergarten wasn't too far behind, but in a way I was in an irrational state of denial thinking my first baby would stay at home with me indefinitely. I took comfort in having attended an Orientation with her, the rest of my kids and hubby who so wonderfully always takes time to be involved every step of the way. We had seen her classroom and met her teacher so everything seemed fine.
However, the morning of her first day I had butterflies in my stomach. She seemed excited and genuinely happy while I was the one nervously packing her lunch and school bag wondering how she would feel and how she would like her teacher, what friends she would make and what things she would be exposed to at school. With a bell schedule from 7:45am to 2:45pm I wondered how she would adjust to being away from home for so long...7 hours straight! Which seemed too long for my "baby". Together we picked a cute outfit and I did her hair. She smiled all through it and kept hugging and holding me. What a smart girl! She knew I needed the confort more than her!
I still remember the day I went into labor and all that I felt. The early morning hours when she was born and the joy I felt in welcoming my first baby into this world. Exhausted and sore, I held my baby girl in my arms and now that same baby was going off to start her academic career and was making me feel better about it. Truly amazing..........