And here we go.....

Tomorrow is the first day of kindergarten for Tyler.  Seriously, kindergarten.  Wasn't this the same boy I just brought home from the hospital, watched take his first steps, soothed when he was sick, and held so close to my heart because everything about him was me and Kyle?  I remember bouncing with him in the middle of the night (for the first year, he HATED the rocking chair), and I remember when he had his tonsils out just after he turned two.  I remember the day he started daycare, and I remember first time he told me "I love you, Mom".  Even then, I thought he was such a big boy, but he was still so little. 

And tomorrow, here we go.  It's kindergarten, where he's such a big boy, yet so little.  The youngest in the school.  He will have to learn how to open his milk, get his lunch on a tray, and make sure he wipes his own butt.  Although he has a great teacher, he's with the big kids now.

We had the "meet the teacher" last night and that was interesting.  The school parking lot is made for about 30 cars, and there were, I'm pretty sure, over 200 there.  We parked partially in the wet grass, and walked towards the hoards of people walked through the doors. 

We finally found out who Tyler's teacher was, and went to her room.  I was so excited myself to meet this woman that would make an impression on his life forever.  I vividly remember my kindergarten teacher, and funny enough, I most remember about her how passionate she was about the pledge of allegiance.  We had to say it every morning when the bell rang - at attention, with our hands on our hearts.  I remember her bouffant hair, and big glasses, and her smile.  I remember doing connect the dots, and I remember having peanuts and raisins for snack (I hated peanuts and raisins mixed together!).  Regardless, I remember it all. 

As we walked into the room, I could feel my emotions well up, just because of all the reasons above.  Even though he didn't know it, this was going to be such a big step in his life.  I fought so hard to keep the tears back, and was pretty successful, and was thankful I wear glasses where it is easy to hide my eyes. 

The night was pretty uneventful for Tyler.  I think he was most excited when we went and got ice-cream afterwards, because we, for the last year, told him that last night was the "ice cream social".  We learned a couple of weeks ago that they stopped serving ice cream because it was too messy, so instead they had cookies and lemonade.  He was okay with his sherbet from Isaac's Ice Cream Shop. 

I am so excited to see how tomorrow goes for him.  I have a friend tonight that told me how to expect him to grow so much this year.  "His friends will become his life," she said, "and by first grade, you will be in second place.  They grow so much, you will be amazed!"  Although, she has had a couple of years to come to terms with that now.  Me, not so much.

Although I think that is neat, we are still entering a whole new chapter in his life now.  And a new chapter in ours.  I'm going to hang on, because from what people say, the ride is just beginning.