It is already school registration time around here and Tim and I have decided to send K to the same school as the boys in the Fall. She will be 5 shortly after school starts so I think sending her five days a week will be fine.
Of course this means our days of just me and her are numbered.
This is one of those times really makes you wonder just where the time went. She is my baby and always will be in some sense. Sometimes I even still see her as my baby (that may have to do with the fact that I spent quite some time perusing her baby pictures before starting this post. Ahem.)
And while I can see the benefits of having her in full-time school, for both of us, my Momma heart mourns a little that in just half a year she will join her older brothers in “real school”.
So of course this means I simply MUST soak in all the moments I can with just her.
Last week we had an appointment in the early morning and since we had not eaten breakfast before, after it was over we headed out to brunch together. We ate together and colored and chatted, just the two of us. I may have a stolen a few bites of her delicious cinnamon roll.
Afterwards, she threw coins in the fountain in the shopping center and giggled as each one flew through the air and landed in the water. I beamed like the bright sun at her precious laughter and huge smile.
She ran to me and hugged me, calling me “Cute Mommy” like she does these days, and my heart swelled as I felt her soft blond hair and smoothed it out of her face like I often do.
So many times she helps me to realize that it is just these little moments together that I will miss when I send her up those steps and through the door of her new school.
I will miss making her grilled cheese sandwiches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will miss carrying her into the gym as the ladies who work at the check-in desk fawn over her cuteness.
I will miss hanging out in our jammies together in the morning after all the boys have left.
I may even miss her requesting a snack just minutes after breakfast has ended.
But I am NOT going to miss them yet. I am going to take them ALL IN.
And cherish each “Cute Mommy” and little shopping trip to Target, just us girls and any request to play in her room in the early morning sunlight.
I promise her and myself, that I will.
I SO will.
Awww, this is so sweet! And good for you for taking it all in, you’ll be so glad you did!
Kerstin @ Auer Life recently posted…Date Night
Sigh. I could sob. My daughter will start kindergarten in the fall. She turns five in July. Five days a week, for full days. Right now she goes three days a week for four hours. Not so earth-shattering. Yet.
I’ll still have good ole Des for a few more years..
Tamara recently posted…Cry Me a Frozen Whovian River.
All those little moments and days spent together are so precious.
Tracie recently posted…I Do Not Have The Answers
NOT looking forward to letting my last baby start school and feeling fortunate that we still have a few years before we get to that point. But I completely agree–you have to soak up the here and now and look forward to what will be great about the future too!
Jennifer-Mommy Life After Ph.D. recently posted…I Can’t Be Your Friend…
Oh gurl!!!!!
*sigh*
Don’t even get me started on this topic. I tell ya. The hubby and I have been agonizing this for the past year. None of our boys went to kindergarten all day but all of a sudden our school is only offering all day kindergarten and no half day. I was freaking out!!!!! No lie. I know all day kindergarten is not a big deal for most people but I have always been a huge advocate for half days. Studies have even shown that kids that go all day are no further ahead at the start of 1st grade than the kids who go half days. In my mind kids go to school long enough as it is. 7 hours is SUCH a long day even for 1st graders (my boys really struggled with that) and Grace is a late August birthday so she is one of the youngest in the class. Add to that the fact that all of my kids took naps all the way up to first grade and that is a huge factor too. Plus, Grace still struggles with going off to school and she only goes three times a week right now. THEN you throw in the fact that this is my LAST baby and I was FREAKING OUT.
I’m telling you, thinking about her going to school full time next year has been a constant stress on me this year. But I finally decided she’s not gonna do it. Ha! So there! For kindergarten she will be switching to a half day program at a school a few blocks away from my boys’ school. Once I made up my mind I felt SO MUCH BETTER. Whew! No more stress.
But this post still hit home. I really am trying to savor every moment. I do try and make the time I have with Grace special and do fun things just the two of us. It goes by so quickly, I can’t even believe it. I want to treasure it while I have it.
Great post, Elaine!
Kat recently posted…The Perfect Pair
I had never heard of half day Kindergarten, I think until I started hearing about it from other bloggers, like you! ha! In Texas we always went full day from K on.
And I think it will be very different for my K because she will be in the same, small school with her older brothers and though not with them the entire time, it will not be like traditional full time school for her.
I know what you mean though about it all being too much at such a young age. I am SO glad you found a solution you are happy with for Grace and that you do not have to stress over it anymore!
Sigh. Why do they insist on growing up so quickly?
Glad you’re soaking in all the moments. That’s really the only way to go.
Alison recently posted…Full
So glad that you’re soaking it all in! I had a similar experience when both of mine went to school full time. I tried to make the most of every last moment we had together, and now those memories of just watching TV or cutting up a PB&J are so sweet to me.
Andrea recently posted…SOS
Man, I wish K would eat just PB&J. Then I wouldn’t have to heat up the sandwich maker every time!
D will go more hours next year, and even without it being full time, it seems so fast. Enjoy those brunches, Cute Mommy.
Angela recently posted…A Lady in France – A review
Enjoy the time with your little guy too, Cute Mommy!
I have always worked outside of the home which means that my kids were in daycare on the weekdays before starting kindergarten. Thankfully this means that the transition to school was fairly easy. I learned, early on, to find those moments at different times – early in the morning at wake-up time, in the evening with the rituals that we created together and of course on the weekends. You’ll find those times too as I’m sure you already have with your boys. For now, though, treasure that together time with your girl
Kat recently posted…A Friday Funny
I think I’m going to start calling you “cute mommy” too. Haha. That’s awesome. I’ll have three kiddos in full day school next year as well. Though two still at home. It’s gonna really change the dynamics for you! I’m glad you’re soaking it all in now. xx.
sarah reinhart recently posted…Photo Tip Friday: how to see light
I didn’t have that feeling – of wanting the stay-at-home to be longer. But I definitely miss the baby days when I try to cuddle for instance. That’s when I really see (and mourn) that my babies are flying the nest – and fast!
Lady Jennie recently posted…When You Can’t See the Meadow
I can’t believe she is already old enough to start school. These kids are growing up way too fast.
Jennifer recently posted…Potential
Sometimes I catch myself wishing I could go back in time, relive days and times I feel took for granted as never ending. I love that you are treasuring/documenting this time with her. What’s better is she’s old enough to remember and cherish it herself.
Arnebya recently posted…Just Write: Tired, Get Out of My Vocabulary
T’s birthday is just a few days after the cutoff in Texas, and to be honest, I’m relieved that he has one more year of preschool.
I know you will enjoy these moments with your sweet, cute, darling girl!!
I just called the other day to register my daughter for school and had a mild panic attack. It’s bittersweet isn’t it?
Leighann recently posted…This Year
Oh, Elaine, I actually have a post in draft about this very thing. My youngest and I are enjoying our last months together, too, before he starts “big school” in September. I get all choked up when I think about it sometimes. I want to soak it all in before it is gone.
Kim@Co-Pilot Mom recently posted…The Men of Downton Abbey