Katie's first day of Kindergarten

The anticipation was killing me...notice, I said me. Katie is my oldest, but she is a mini-version of me. She looks like me, acts like me, and frequently I'm startled by things she says to me because it's as if it came out of my mouth (except I'm 31 and she's 5.)

Every time I thought about my baby walking down the hall away from my 4th grade classroom with her hands clasped in her daddy's I cried. I don't know why, but it's like she's growing up, and I can't stop it. I know that sounds silly, but when those big blue eyes look at me and she smiles, I melt. In those small moments, I want everything for her.

I read this mom's blog about letting go of her youngest, and I empathized with her. She explained how her baby girl took off on her first day of Kindergarten totally surprising her. She jumped out of the car, walked down the hall by herself, hung up her backpack and started her day...without her mom. In that instant, I realized that Katie has been ready for Kindergarten the entire time. It was me who wasn't ready. Don't get me wrong. I am so looking forward to the day she brings home a book and reads it cover to cover. The day she runs home to tell me she lost her first tooth at school. The day she tells me a boy was mean and he shoved her (because secretly he thinks she is adorable.)

So, I steeled myself for the worst today. I made Katie her favorite, homemade buttermilk pancakes for breakfast in shapes: heart, flower, and butterfly. She wanted to wear a denim dress and pink flower in her hair (all of this decided last night.) She and I set off at 6:45 AM since I had to be on duty at 7:30. We had an uneventful ride to school, but Katie always keeps me entertained. We drove with the sun rising straight ahead. Katie said, "OH, what a beautiful sight!" We got there, and she was just itching to go to her class, and she couldn't wait for Dave to get there. He finally did. We waited for the principal to make an announcement that they were sending students down to class. Dave took a picture of Katie and I, and off the hall they went. I didn't shed a single tear even though there was a giant lump in my throat. I guess it was 8:20 when Dave came down to let me see the pictures and said she was clingy at first, but as soon as her friend, Julie with the Rapunzel backpack, showed up, she was good to go. :)

I am truly blessed that I work where Katie goes to school. I may not have walked her down to her classroom, but who else gets to see their kid 2-3 times during the day at work. I also get to hear how her day went on the way home before anyone else does. Plus, she practically tackles me when I show up to pick her up from the YMCA. Now, I am thankful for those little things. :)