Off to Grade One

For those of you dreading the first day of Kindergarten with your firstborns I have to tell you that grade one is harder. Now don't get me wrong, the jump from a preschooler to a kindergartener doesn't usually happen without a few tears but to me the end of kindergarten upset me more. At least in kindergarten Delaney was home every other day. In Summerland that is how they do kindergarten, two full days one week and three the next. None of this half day stuff that really interupts life when you have more than one child still at home. I was excited for Delaney to start school last year but knew I still had her home more than she was away. It wasn't until the last day of kindergarten that it really struck me. After the summer I would never again have that time back. Grade one would see Delaney in school everyday, all day. Sure we would have weekends and holidays (although I am not guarenteed to be off) but the days of waking up and deciding at the last minute to go to the park or for coffee at a friends was over. Today that day became reality in our family. Although the first day is only half a day, this day leads to tomorrow and my beautiful little girl will be off to school full time for the next 12 to 15 years. I feel sad for Avery because she and Delaney are such good friends and playmates. I am sure she will feel a loss not having her big sister here all day. But with this starts a new chapter in Delaney's life. She loves school and is excited to be back with all of her school friends. I can't imagine how I will feel when my last baby enters school. Actually I don't even want to entertain the thought!!!