little wings

Today may be a typical day in most people's houses, but it is always an important day in ours.  It is the end of the summer.  That means that we just have aerification on the golf course and then Daddy is around MUCH more.  For Daddy, it means that we are at the farthest point from July and August.  Today though, is one for the history books for us.  It is the first day of Kindergarten.  That meant that we have an overly excited 5 year old and an exceptionally emotional mother.  It means that our morning was filled with A. trying out her back pack and fitting in her lunch box. Yet, I just wanted to throw the back pack and school clothes in a huge box with a key and never unlock it.

I've really been reflecting on this moment because I always thought I would be a mom that was excited about school.  I loved every part of preschool; the classroom, the letters on the wall, the schedule, and, the fact that A. didn't have to go every day.  But now, my child will be in someone else's hands all day long.  I"m sure they are good hands, but they are still someone else's. I've been listening to other moms talking about this day and all their worries, "Will there be enough time at lunch?" "How will she find her classroom?"  "Will she be able to find someone if she is scared?"  I've thought about all of these worries and realized that I'm not really worried.  I"m just sad.  I'm just going to miss her.  I'm going to miss our Wed mornings when we cook together and then clean together and then I watch her do a project.  I'm going to miss her constantly saying, "What can I do next?"

I've spent the last week tearing up at every little thing thinking, well it's the last time we can do this on a Wed. or I guess we will have to go back to earlier bed times.  But today, everything was perfect.  My little one walked to the bus stop about 35 feet ahead of us because either A. she is already too cool for us or B. we just walk too slowly.  She stood there for the obligatory pictures and then just got right on the bus.  She didn't even wave.  snapped about 1000 pictures while drying tears from my eyes because I am sooooo proud of her.  She is ready.  So, I will take my overly emotional self to another corner so as not to ruin her moment; her moment of pure joy and excitement!!  And, I'll think about the sign that I randomly saw in 3 of my patient's homes this week, "I think our job as parents is to give our kids roots to grow and wings to fly"-- Deborah Norville

Fly, baby girl, fly!!!


PS- photos by my amazing friend Emily St. Louis-- emilystlouisphotography.zenfolio.com

the con

I have written umpteen times about my love of small town life.  Well, Labor Day, we had a con.  I was trying as hard as I could to come up with something fun to do.  Something that would take my mind off of kindergarten eve.  Well, a Labor Day parade.  Right up my alley.

We even ventured the extra miles to Chicfila because really if we are in a 5 mile radius, I think the restaurant sends honing signals to my children until they practically press the gas pedal themselves.  We left the drive through and back tracked the 5 miles until we reached Main Street.  I was expecting some labeling or maybe seeing other people sitting outside with blankets and picinics. Nope.  None of that.  We finally got to the elementary school and found about 20 people sitting on a curb vying for the one shady spot.  OK, I guess this is it.  We all hopped out to sit on our blanket and enjoy our nuggets while we waited for the excitement.  

A decided that the blanket was no fun, she sat by herself to squeeze in the shade.

At about 12:15, we heard some sirens and K. got excited.  FIRE TRUCKS...4 measly fire trucks. Then, there were cars, motorcycles, and more cars.

Apparently, the only qualifying factor for being in the parade is bringing candy.  The parade participants came in cars and trucks.  Just typical cars in trucks, no signs, no music, no flags.  Just a car with a person throwing candy.  The kids that were around us came prepared with bags to collect said candy.  A. even said, "are we watching traffic?"  Well, yes, we are.   We didn't even know that it was over except that 15 minutes later, the cars stopped throwing candy.  We figured they were people that got stuck in the route because really, how do you know that it is a parade when all you are doing is following really slow cars.  

We folded up our blanket dejected that our last day before Kindergarten was spent on a hot curb watching a Toyota Camry and a Ford Explorer that we easily could have watched in our very own driveway.  Then, I saw A. out of the corner of my eye pick up an extra pile of candy.  I was about to say something when I a rather rotund little boy started screaming from about 50 feet away, "where's my CANDY?"  It only took a second before he was barreling over and I, again, was about to jump in.  Then my little kindergartner simply said, "I didn't know it was yours".  He was still yelling and I watched her get a piece of her own candy and say, "now you have more." He stopped what he was doing and thanked her.  His mom, also about to jump in, thanked her.  Then, his sister gave A. a lollipop.

We may not have had nice parade with bands and flags, but I got to see my girl handle her own.  I got to see her bravery and problem solving.  I got to see older kids take care of the younger ones. So, the crappy parade was worth it.