Could Not Be More Proud

Summer came and went in a flash. Ella and Audrey had one week of structured "summer camp" and the rest was a free-for-all drenched with friends, family, and ME!!!! Surprisingly, I wasn't as ready to kick them to the curb as I was the previous summer. It's easy now. They they don't really need me. And they really don't want me.....unless it's to reach a snack, help dress a doll, break up a fight, or to wipe a bottom. When given the choice, they choose to play with themselves at home over so many more seemingly fun options. How nice it is to have a sister, to have each other. This is a big transition year for us all. Ella will be going to school 5 days/wk and Audrey 3! They will have less "play time" with each other. Mommy will be starting back to work and Daddy is in the process of starting his own practice. Big life changes. With the talk of "back to school" creeping into most conversations the week before last, I saw the looks of concern on their faces, mostly Ella. She's a great student and has a great time at school, but if asked, she'd prefer to stay home with mommy. "Mommy, I'm a scaredy cat!" she said the Sunday before school started. She crawled out of bed a few times and came into the family room and whispered, "I know I'm silly, but I'm still a scaredy cat." I reassured her that it was OK to be nervous and Ok to be afraid of something new. We all know she'd have a great time....and she did.
In efforts to get organized before "back to school", each lady has her "Get Ready For School" chart on their door. If you eat breakfast, brush teeth, get dressed (with socks and shoes), and brush hair with cooperation and with NO WHINING, you get a star! And if you get 5 stars (which no one did) you get money for your piggy bank. And at the end of the month, we're going shopping! And with any time remaining before we have to leave, you get to watch cartoons. No TV is allowed during the getting ready process, it only makes us sluggish :). Sunday night 12 sandwiches packed in the refrigerator for the week, grapes and watermelon pieces were in their snack bags, gold fish and other snackies were divied up, clothes were ironed, backpacks were packed and we were ready.
Off to school we went. Audrey glowed the entire morning. She raved about her "glamorous uniform", "the same one like Ella wears". She raved about her new copper sequined sneakers. She raved about her new pink backpack (that is twice the size of her) and after school, she raved about her teacher....."Ms. CarolAnn is the best of my life". Audrey surprised me like she always does. She didn't hesitate when she walked in her classroom and when I picked her up, the teachers pulled me aside amazed by her vocabulary and lively personality! This is her year to shine, I can feel it!
Ella was amazing, too. She clung to me and didn't want me to leave, but that is to be expected. Thankfully, there were no tears. All she needed was to see a few familiar faces and she was set. And when I picked her up that day she said. "I didn't need to be scared, Mommy. I love my school". You can't ask for more than that. The highlight for both girls was seeing each other on the playground. As Audrey's class was coming out, Ella's was heading in. They were able to play for a moment and give hugs. I was told that Audrey cried a bit when Ella had to go in. It broke my heart.
Within the past few days, Ella's reading has blossomed. She reads bed time stories to us now. Just those BOB books, but she's doing it all by herself and she is so proud. It was like the flip of a switch and she's off.
After I dropped them off that first morning, I had a little empty feeling. This is it. My babies are grown-up. Next year they will both most likely be in school 5 days/wk. We're moving on to the next phase and I couldn't be more proud.