First day of School 2010

It is here again, the first day of school. The day was fraught with emotion (for me more than anyone else) because today was Amira's first day of Kindergarten. How is the baby that I brought home from the hospital, swaddled in her pink blanket and stocking cap, already old enough for kindergarten? I've been fretting over this day for quite some time. Worrying that she won't be ready. Worrying that she will cry and be miserable. If I'm absolutely honest, I've also worried that she will be just fine and wouldn't even miss me.
This morning Amira was all smiles and excited to "go to Kolya's school". She adores her older brother and was almost giddy at the thought of going to school with him.

We dropped Kolya off at his class first. I met his teacher and waited (even though he was perfectly fine) for him to settle in. He looked so cute sitting at his desk I couldn't resist snapping a quick picture.

Then it was time to take Amira to her class. All of my fears were unfounded (except for the one about her being fine without me). Just look at that darling smile. I can't waiting for her to cling to me and beg me not to leave, just like she did EVERY day at preschool last year. But she just kept smiling. Her teacher gave her a name tag and told her to go ahead and pick anywhere that she wanted to sit. She sat down next to her friend from preschool, Ashleigh. And that was that. She was ready for her first day of school. I faked a smile and told Amira how much fun she was going to have today. Then I left her classroom, but hovered in the hall for a few minutes, not quite able to let go just yet. She saw me peek my head in once, and she just smiled and waved.

It was so bittersweet. I'm so happy that she was happy. But it is so hard to let my baby girl go. I know this is just a first step for me. Soon she will be getting older and wanting more and more independence. When I picked her up from school she was all bubbly telling me the fun things she did today at school. She ended it by saying, "And I get to go back again tomorrow!"

Yes baby girl, you get to go back tomorrow.