Hailey's (First) First Day of School!

Hailey had her first day of preschool today and she did fabulous! Any little bits of apprehension that she had expressed to me in the days leading up to this day were gone the minute she entered the classroom. She found her name tag and placed it under her backpack hook. (This task will be a little bit daunting for her since the only letter she really knows in her name is "H" and there is a little boy named Hudson in her class. I keep trying to instill in her to look for the "H-A)".

She grabbed a picture to color while she waited for the rest of her class to get situated and I had to chuckle as I watched her moving her hand to color but not even looking at the paper. Her eyes were darting around the room transfixed on what the other kids in her class were doing.

I kissed her goodbye and left her there to begin her new adventure. Another Mom I know asked me on the way out if I was sad. I thought I would be, but I really wasn't. I think after the last week I was so ready for two hours of complete alone/quiet time I was thankful for the break. The sadness might be something that hits me unexpectedly down the road a bit.

It was a bizarre feeling to walk out of that school without carrying a baby or holding a toddler's hand. I have been a bit nostalgic for my babies lately. They seem to be growing up so fast and now with Hailey in school I feel like my job as a mother is almost over. I know in the sane part of my head that is not true - but I feel it anyway. It didn't help matters when my neighbor wrote on Facebook (don't talk about Facebook) how much she was missing her babies that were away at school. (Her youngest went to college a few weeks ago.) I know that those days seem like a long way off, but really they will be here before I know it.

I am happy for my girl. She loves school and she is already excited to go back. Her enthusiasm reminds me of Evan's and he has always been a voracious learner. I hope she follows in her older brother's footsteps in that regard.

When I went back to the school to pick her up, the kids were coming back into the building from outside. They were all walking in a line with "hands on your hip and finger on your lips". I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that Hailey is one of the tallest (if not the tallest - by the time I noticed some kids were seated already) in her class. That is a first in this family for sure!

My hope for her this year is that she is able to branch out a bit and establish an identity of her own. I hope she makes some sweet little girl friends and forms bonds that last long into her school years.

Happy first day of school baby girl! I can't believe how fast the years have gone by!