First Day of Kindergarden

As much as I prayed this day wouldn't come, I woke up this morning and here it was. Since Harrison was a tiny newborn, I've agonized over the dreaded day I'd have to send him away to school. Sounds silly doesn't it? Five years ago, five years sounded like a long time. It is not. It is far too short for a mother of only one baby. That, I am finding out, is the worst part of parenting an only child. Every milestone is an exciting new beginning and the sad end, all at once. It's awful really. It's anti-climactic and a bit of a rollercoaster of emotion. You're happy for him and sad for you. You want to let go, but you want to hang on tight. I've been crying for a week and I still can't get all the tears and sadness out!

It's a hard thing, being a Mom and letting go. I just wasn't prepared to have to do it this soon. I remember being in tears last year too, and learning to love Preschool as my son did! However, this is not 3 days/week for 2 hrs, this is big kid school, for 3 hrs/day, 5 days/week. What do they need him so much for? Don't they know I need him more than they do? Who will I play with when he's at school? I missed him desperately today and felt sick leaving him there, and came home to cry. It was horrible...for me. He loved it!!!

His teacher's name is Mme Sarah and she is amazing. She sent him a personal letter in the mail last week, welcoming him to Kindergarden and to her class. How sweet is that!? She is young, kind and patient...everything he needs

in a teacher to have a successful year in Kindergarden. The name of his school is Ecole Elizabeth Barrett Elementary, here in Cochrane. There are 20 kids in his class and he goes in the afternoons, from 12pm-2:48pm. He will be taking the school bus home (not mine unfortunately) with the neighbourhood kids and will be going to the neighbours house everyday after school for 30-45 mins until I get home from my bus route. He is thrilled about this, since that is where his best bud Jonathan lives, and they can hang out every single day! Who needs Mommy when you've got best buds in the cul-de-sac?!

He is so grown up now, and there is nothing I can do to stop it, unfortunately. I know Kindergarden will be good for him and he'll make many lasting friendships, as will I with the other Moms. I spent most of Monday bawling my eyes out, and when Harrison found me on the bed, he crawled up beside me and wiped my tears away and told me that my brain was just turned upside-down! He counted to 3 and told me I just had to turn it right-side up to get rid of the frown and make myself happy again! I love the way kids see the world. How perceptive and true it was...not only my brain, but my whole heart has been turned upside-down this week.

Here he is, in front of the school and in the classroom. Such a big boy now. I want this moment to last forever....but like all the other milestones we've passed, they come and go too quickly, and all you can do is take lots of pictures, write it all down so you don't forget, and tuck it away in your heart forever. That's why Moms have such big hearts....we need room to keep all those special moments, that only come around once in a lifetime, but that leave memories that last forever.

Good luck in Kindergarden my Little Man. I love you. You'll always be my baby, no matter how big you get.