Firsts...

Today was a day of firsts. The first day of fourth grade for my Taylor and the first day of pre-k for my Kaitlyn. It was the first time since summer that we were awake and out of bed by six o'clock and it was the first time in a long time that we ate breakfast together as a family.

We took our traditional first day of school picture that turned into pictures. I am so glad that I fixed my hair after curling Taylor's because my pictures with the girls turned out half way decent (the other half remained with my make-up that hadn't made it to my face and clothes that hadn't made it to my body yet).


Taylor is nine years old and reminds me at least ten times a week that she will be in the "double digits" next year, which means she will be 10. She is slowly going from a little girl to an inquisitive, thought provoked, bundle of emotions. I love the relationship that we are developing and I hope she will always come to me when she has a desire to know something.


Oh and then there is my Kaitlyn Bell. She is still my baby and I don't want her to grow up. Heavenly Father knew what he was doing when he kept her sweet spirit in the pre existence a little longer so she would miss the cutoff for Kindergarten. I'm just not ready for my baby to be going to school, school.


As I looked in the rear view mirror I saw the reflections of my two little ones and my heart ached a little. Another year has come and gone.


They are another year closer to leaving me. I realized this weekend that if the next nine years fly by as fast as the last nine years have, my Taylor will be eighteen before I know it and it will seem as if she became a young woman overnight.


Taylor put up with the camera this year which you can see in her smile. Every other year, including Kindergarten, she hasn't wanted me to walk her to class, but this year was different. She insisted that I walk her to class.


Kaitlyn didn't like how noisy it was and decided she was going to separate herself from the crowd of school age children by plugging her ears.


One last picture of my fourth grader and then it was time to drop Kaitlyn off at school.


We had some time before Kaitlyn had to be at school so I thought it would be a nice surprise if I took her to the store and let her pick out a backpack for her change of clothes. Kaitlyn was so excited. She couldn't wait for school to start and even reminded me several times while we were in the store that we needed to hurry because we didn't want to be late, "now do we". She talked a good talk, but when push came to shove she didn't walk the walk. As soon as we pulled in the parking lot she started back peddling. "I'm shy you know mommy. Why don't I go home and you can call Tiffanie to come stay with me?" Tiffanie watched the girls this summer and did a fantastic job. Apprehensive as she could be we found her classroom. She found the monkey with her name on it and put it on the tree.


With the crocodile tears on their way I bolted as soon as I felt like I could. This was her best attempt at a smile.


Today was a day of first all right. It was the first time this mommy didn't cry after dropping her girls off at school.