On the inside : School Days

Madilyn started her first day of daycare (and a new one at that) since she was 19months old.
Fear, nervousness, and overall worry sickened me as the days ticked closer to her inevitable scream fest that I just KNEW would make the teachers cringe when she walked through the doors in the morning.
As we toured, and had play days and generally began our attempts at talking up daycare and telling her about her friends and the fun things she would be doing there (painting, playing with new toys, playground outside, etc) she still seemed against the idea of daycare.
On Wednesday (July 31st) we got ready to head out the door to daycare and she had the biggest smile slapped on her face.

My stomach screamed, gurgled, twisted and turned as we walked into the daycare center and I began that slow, dreadful walk to her classroom.
I opened the door, little eyes staring at Madilyn and I, and my stomach did a double flip.
Madilyn walked right in, found a red chair and sat right down.
The teachers were talking to us and fed her breakfast, she ate happily and got up to play.
I knew just as soon as I told her I was leaving she would go in full on tantrum mode.

"Madilyn I am leaving!" I said, a tad too nervously.
"Bye!" She was grinning ear to ear as a little girl handed her a toy monkey.
WHAT?! Did MY Child just tell me bye without a tear, without a tantrum, without ANYTHING?
Who was this kid and where did Madilyn run off too?

I walked out, still nervous, and decided to watch her from the window.
She was FINE.
As I apprehensively drove to work that morning so many thoughts were racing in my mind.
I didn't want her to cry, right? Or did I secretly wish she would throw herself on the floor, screaming bloody murder so I could have something to prove about what kind of awesome parent I am that my child didn't even want to leave me!

I knew, deep down, that I was relieved the tantrum throwing didn't commence.
Her teacher kept me updated and let me know how wonderful she did.
No tears all day and shocker, she peed on the potty TWICE.
As I picked her crazy self up, and got in the car, I saw the smile plastered on her face and was so happy that she loved daycare.

As the days have rolled on she has since been 3 times and has been eager to go.
I am lucky that I have such social, outgoing, wonderful kids.
I feel blessed to have found the right daycare center and an awesome teacher that has been smothering her with love.
Madilyn deserves it!

As August is here I am realizing how close to Kindergarten it is getting.
We bought Kylie Jade's school supplies last week and she was SO EXCITED to be getting new things that were just hers.
As she excitedly picked out her items for school I felt proud and sad all at the same time.
How does it seem like one day she is a roly poly two year old and the next she is picking out supplies for Kindergarten?

I am such a wuss when it comes to my kids getting another year older, another classroom higher, and just getting bigger before I've even had a chance to fully adjust to their age.
As the school supplies and clothes rang up I could feel a slight panic as I realized school is less than 2 weeks away.
This is the end of picking her up early just because I want too, skipping days just because we can, and not having to worry about homework, or school closings, etc.
She is growing up on me and I am so not ready for it.

August 9th we will be heading out to Kylie's school to drop off her supplies
, meet her teacher (again!), see a few classmates, and talk in the gym with a few heads of the schools etc.
August 14th is her first OFFICIAL day of school and I feel slightly panicked as I cross off yet another day of August.
I need to face the fact that my girls are growing, Kylie Jade is entering out of preschool age and going full speed to elementary age and Madilyn is creeping up on the end of her toddler years into the preschool years.
I feel nostalgic as I think back on Madilyn's birth and Kylie's infant years, they are memories now, but will always be apart of me.

No matter what I am a mom.
They are my girls.
I will do anything for them no matter what.
And if you mess with them, well momma bear is fully ready to attack at any moment!! =)

Here are a few pics from the last month: