A bittersweet moment

Today, my youngest son started kindergarten.  

Where has the time gone?  

Seems like just yesterday he was born and was a teeny little baby with the brightest and most alert eyes I have ever seen on a newborn.  

Those bright, alert eyes are still there.  He is curious as ever.  This has led to him learning SO much from his curiosity and "leap first, look later" nature.  He has been so ready for this day for so long.....well, about a year.  And I have been dreading this day for about as long.

It is so hard to let him go.  But I did.

I did it.

I watched him bound onto the bus with such enthusiasm and joy that I could not help but to smile.

I watched him wave goodbye to me from his seat on the bus.

I managed to keep my composure until my husband left for work.........and then the tears started.  I am better now.  Just not ready for this yet.

On another note, we met with his teacher yesterday so that she could do some prescreening in order to know what he already knows.  He did phenomenal!  She said that if he knew how to read some more than he already does, that he would be ready right now for 1st grade!  I am so proud of him.  He soaks up information like a sponge.  He uses BIG words, like actually, unbelievable, extraordinary,....just to name a few.  He is mature beyond his years.  Sometimes acting more mature than his teenage big brother (which is not hard to do on some days).

My baby girl started 5th grade on Wednesday.  She is in her last year of elementary school.  Next year she will be in MIDDLE SCHOOL.  I cannot believe it.  She has grown so much.  She makes me so proud to be her mom.  She is also smart-as-a-whip.  This year is a bit hard for her because her best friend for the last 3 years got held back in the 4th grade and is not in class with her everyday.  She is sad about this because this means that from now on, they will have no chance of being in any classes together.  But she will persevere.  She will thrive.  She is, after all, her mother's daughter!!  

Our oldest (my oldest step-son, because let's face it....I am NOT old enough to have a teenage son any other way) started his first day of High School today as well.  I cannot believe it.  I am dumb-founded at where the time has gone.  When his father and I started dating, he was in 5th grade.....now.....he is a little man (well, not too little.... he is about 2 inches shorter than his dad and about 5 inches shorter than me!), preparing to leave the nest.  He is starting the first years of the rest of his life.  We are praying that he has grown enough over the summer to realize that he needs to start acting a little more "adult" like and start thinking about the future and what he wants to do with the rest of his life.  He has his eyes set on joining the Marine Corps right after High School (we will see if that holds true in 4 years).  

I thought I would share a few pics of the kiddos in their "first day clothes".  You can tell from the painting behind them all a little about how BIG they are!

First up......Our oldest:

Next is my baby girl and baby boy waiting for the bus this morning:

My baby girl on her first day (she was not happy about how early it was):
And my little boy:

Oh, by the way.....the faces.....what can I say.....they didn't want their picture taken, so those are their "I don't want to take this pic" faces.  I've given up on MAKING them smile good.....if they want pics with funky looks on their face, then GO FOR IT!