Back to School

Bean is back in school and all is right with the world. The first day of school I dropped her off at the bus stop and waited with her. Well, more accurately, I waited in the car and watched her. I asked her if she would be embarrassed if I waited with her and she said, "Well, sort of." So I got back in the car and slunk down and waited. As she got on the bus she put her hand down at hip level and fluttered a little inconspicuous wave in my general direction. I'll take what I can get as we enter this adolescence.

It's so weird... I have gone from being the mom who dropped her off at school and watched until she entered the building to being the mom who waits for her to come home from the bus stop. Instead of knowing where she is at all times I must now trust that she can walk two blocks without getting lost or kidnapped by dragons or joining a gang or smoking pot. This is practice for next year when she will be walking to school. She has made the transition beautifully and I am feeling a little superfluous.

I have always championed her independence, and her independence and maturity has made my life exponentially easier, but I sometimes wish she needed me a little more. But she is my child. I shouldn't expect anything different.

When they tell you that it goes by faster than you can imagine they're right. I feel like I was pregnant with her yesterday and today she's asking me if I want her to pack lunch for me while she's packing her own. Tomorrow she'll be married and having kids of her own. I should teach her how to bake brownies...

PS. Look what I ordered from Knit-Whit today!! I'm going to use it at Kerri's Bachelorette Sleepover!!