Goodbye baby girl, hello kindergartner

It's official. As of Friday, I have a kindergartner.

I spent weeks getting ready for that first day. Buying school supplies and picking out fall clothes. Reading the dress code for the school system and reviewing the lunch menu for the first month. Talking to Emma about the new friends she'll get to meet and how she'll still see her old ones during recess.

None of that mattered. None of it. Because when the time came for my first born to step onto the curb from my car and head by herself into that elementary school, my eyes teared up. Watching her walk into the building unsure of herself but pushing forward anyway...I realized that my baby girl was not so little anymore.

Fiddling with her bag of Pet Shops on the way to school.

The entire time that I was preparing Emma for that first day of school, not one time did she mention to me that she was nervous. Not once. Instead she would answer me with her usual "Mommy, I know". A sassy response that she inherited from...well...me. Yet today, she said something that made me realize that she was worried and never let on. Proving to me again, that she is growing up much too quickly.
This afternoon, my mother, Emma, Eslea and I head into town to do a little shopping. On the way we were talking about my mother's new job and her feelings around working somewhere new after 35+ years with one company. She said that she was excited but scared and nervous at the same time....
"I'm looking forward to it ...but it's kind of like....."  and paused. During her pause, Emma offered up this response..."Like the first day of school". Me..."Yes, Emma, exactly like the first day of school".

Where did my baby go people? How did such a sweet little monkey turn into a kindergartner so quickly? I swear just yesterday she was learning to say "mama".

I was in the mood tonight to look at baby pictures of Emma. Wasn't she a baby doll?
 (Eslea looks so much like her big sister. Beautiful.)

Well, off to get ready for tomorrow. It's a school day you know.
-erin