Today I sent my baby off to kindergarten. You might quibble with me over whether she's really still my baby, but she'll always be my baby to me (this last sentence sounds like a country music title, if it isn't one already -- sorry!).

It's both exhilarating and intensely sad for me. I've spent the past nearly 9 years as a stay-at-home mom with a child (or two) by my side at every moment. I haven't used lots of babysitters -- if I needed to go grocery shopping, the kids came along. If I needed to got to the dentist, the kids sat with a book in a chair by my side. When I wanted to volunteer in Christopher's classroom, Cate came with me. I just haven't had a lot of time solo for the past 9 years -- I've basically had a child attached to the hip for the past decade. It's been hard at times, exhausting, but something that has brought be great joy and gratitude. I wouldn't trade it for a thing.

Today is the beginning of a new era. Yes, I still have an important role to play in my children's life, but I have to share it with a teacher. I'm trying not to be melodramatic -- I know I will still maintain the role of "MVP" for my kids -- but more and more the way I will be showing that is as a reading coach in class, by helping get them to and from school on time, by staying involved with their school. There's obviously important ways at home to maintain my MVP position as well -- but there's no doubt that life is changing around here with two kids in school full-time for the first time.

I'm thrilled for Cate. She's primed for kindergarten -- educationally, socially, and emotionally. Heck, she was awake WAY too early this morning (6:15) -- way before we went to wake her up, because she was just too excited for her first day of kindergarten. When I said good-bye to her at the classroom, I told her "good-bye...have fun at school today." I expected maybe a long hug or a tearsome good-bye. Instead, she told me "good-bye mom, and I already am having fun at school today. See you later." After watching her brother at Chugach for the past 3 years, the gleam in her eye that this was HER turn to be the student was unmistakable.

Lots of photos attached....sigh!