Watch out World

 That bittersweet time of year has come when summer has ended and structure, routine and alarm clocks rule once again.  I can't express how grateful we are we had 6 weeks of summer sleep ins to adjust to 'sleepless nights' with baby Cameron.  I am equally as grateful it is now time to send these kiddos off and have the occasional fighting and end-of-summer boredom come to an end.  Tis the bittersweet life of parenthood.

 They were both pretty excited to meet their teachers the week before.  Trenton loved going back to school and had a huge grin on his face walking from room to room and around 'his halls.'

 And Miss Kali was a bit nervous, but excited beyond belief to be starting Kindergarten!!!  This next picture sums it up!  She was dressed, ready to go knocking on our door to make sure we were up and at 'em.  That's my girl.

How did I feel sending her off?  I can't begin to express how much I will miss this little one and her never ending help.  She is a playmate and a teacher to Blake and an incredible help to me.  I understand why girls weren't educated back in the day - I wasn't sure what I was going to do without her!  But when the day came I felt so excited. It's as if I couldn't wait to share with the world what an amazing little girl she is and let someone else know the secret of all she has to offer.  All I could think was "Watch out World - Here She Comes!"

 She jumped right in line without a tear.  Steve was there sending off his little girl who he ADORES and snapping great shots every step of the way.  Her teacher is on the right in this next picture - and yes, she is as sweet a Southern Belle as she looks.

 It was precious to see how many tears there were from the parents - especially the dads.    One little girl was sobbing, which cued a few more to sob.  Well this broke the parents hearts outside so THEY started sobbing.  I'll never forget watching the teacher teaching the class to deep breathe after the fiasco.  Pretty sweet. 

No, Steve & I didn't shed any tears but I did have to get one last peek at my girl before I shared her with the world.  She's going to do great!!!

How did I forget?

 I thought after having four kids I would have things related to birth and recovery and babies down to a science.  And there are many things I remember well - how painful nursing is for the first few weeks and the zombie like exhaustion for a couple months (although Steve and I didn't really remember how BAD it is!).  The joy of introducing a new baby to his siblings and watching their relationships develop with the new little one.  The smell of a newborn's sweet, sweet breath.  All of those wonderful things...

 

But there are a few things I did forget...

 How I want nothing more in this world than to hold my baby.  How my arms ache for him to be in them and how complete I feel when he is.  How looking at him when he is sleeping makes me feel like I am absolutely in heaven.  How his smiles make my heart leap out of my chest.

 How I marvel at every little feature - and I just want to curl up with him and rock and hold him and kiss him and smell him every minute of every day.

I forgot how madly, madly in love I fall with my babies.