When did this happen?

I know it's totally cliche. The big boy (or girl) is off to kindergarten and the mom is reminiscing back to the baby days. I SWORE I wouldn't do it... And then today came. Today was Avery's first day of kindergarten. When you have a baby you think "oh geeez, I've got FIVE YEARS before I get rid of this kid, that's going to take FOREVER!" I remember joking about it when he was a few months old and then being very very serious about wanting him to go to kindergarten when he was three years old. But then today came. I look at this little boy and remember holding him, nursing him, changing his diaper, and then I wonder what happened to all the years in between. When did we get from baby to here? He is sooo smart and is seriously the coolest kid. He still has his deep Avery voice and loves everyone around him. I cannot believe even to this day that I had a part in raising this little boy. Every kid has their days, but I remember a wise person telling me that kids act out the most in an environment where they feel safe, that part of our jobs as parents is to provide our children a safe place, where they can express themself, not just their creativity, but their feelings. Being a parent brings sooo many struggles, but I gladly take any struggle that comes my way for days like today. I rushed in to bring my five year old to his new class with his new teacher and his new friends and took a brief moment to pause and look at him before being shoed out, and the tears started. This little boy is growing into a little man. He is on a path now. My biggest goal for my sons is to help raise them into men I can be proud of. It will be a long time before he is a man, but as of today, he is a boy I can be proud of, and that's enough for me. I look forward to Avery's first year in elementary school and all the moments to come. Happy first day to my big boy!



















And then there is little brother Payton.
For some reason, his first day of preschool also hit me like a ton of bricks. I am not reminiscing over his baby days because that would bring back the memories of colic, but I am amazed at this sweet little boy. I am amazed because this little boy is already into the preschool class his big brother was in last year. He officially became a Leapfrog yesterday. This means he will at preschool for half the day, three days a week. His class mates are all 4 and 5 year olds, but he at 3.5 years is actually ready to join them. This utterly and completely amazes me. He is such a cute little smarty pants and just bounces his bubbly little attitude right into preschool. I know that we are *just* two years away from him being a big boy in kindergarten, and now that I seriously realize how fast that is going to come I am getting quite sad. I have been classifying him as a "little boy" with his little brother, but I am going to make a point to call him a "big boy" more often. He is growing and blossoming before me, and deserves the title of big boy.