New Beginnings

My daughter starts Kindergarten tomorrow. For many of my friends, they are shedding tears, passing tissues, and mourning the passing of time. For me, it's totally different. The boy started 3rd grade this year - well, technically. He's still in the same classroom, with the same teacher, and the same team, being taught the same concepts as last year. But for things like library and assemblies, he's in 3rd grade.


He's almost frozen to me right now. The first day of school was Tuesday, and I took the same picture, in nearly an identical pose to the past few years. Don't get me wrong, I love the picture, but I'm pretty sure I could have posted the same one from last year and no one would have known the difference. Hell, I barely know the difference. He loves school though, and he's happy there, and loved by his teacher and his aid and his therapists. He's happy. And so, I should be happy too.

First day of 2nd Grade - September 2013

First Day of 3rd Grade September 2014

But it sucks - he's not growing up. He gets older every year, but he stays the same age. And I hate it.

Meanwhile, my daughter is growing up. The girl is almost six now. Three and four years ago, she was often mistaken for The boy's twin. Then, she grew, she changed, and now people ask if she's the oldest. She knows the difference, and matter-of-factly explains that the boy is her older brother, but she's the BIG sister - a nice lesson in semantics for the casual passer by. I smile and nod proudly.

The Best Big-Little Sister!

Some say they waited five years - years that went by too quickly - to see their child off to the first day of Kindergarten. I say I waited nine years. NINE LONG YEARS for normal.

Am I nervous for her, YES. But I won't be crying. I want her to go and grow and develop into the awesomeness I know she has the potential to be! She is going to drive me crazy over the next 13 years, I can already see it, but hopefully we'll come out on the other side with only minor scars on our mother-daughter relationship.

Go take on the world baby girl! I love you, and I cannot wait to see what you do with all the amazingness that you are!

Much love mamas!