Second Grade

First day of Kindergarten, 2010

First day of First Grade, 2011

First day of Second Grade, 2012

Wow.  He's just getting so big.  Second Grade.  Everyone who knows me well realizes what an emotional person I can be.  For example, I was watching the bad 2000s movie, First Daughter, starring Katie Holmes and found myself crying bucketfuls of tears when the President sent his only child off to college.  Sigh.  And I know at LEAST two people who did just that this school year and took it much better than I did watching the movie.  What do I know.  Maybe by then I'll be "ready".  Here's what I know: I was emotional yesterday.  Something about my big kid being so confident, ready to just conquer 2nd grade.  He wanted us to walk him to his classroom (THANK GOODNESS!), but didn't need us for anything other than that.  A quick goodbye and we were off.  Mom in tears.  I am proud of him, excited for him, and can't wait to see all the things he'll accomplish this year.  This is right.  It is best for him.  Yet, a small part of me wants to hold him tight and lock him away from the big, bad world.  My tears quickly ended.  My day was busy with other children.  I was so glad when he came home.  Glad to see him and hear about his fantastic day (but not his BEST first day of school, as he took quite a spill at recess.  The head now has some injuries).  Day two?  No tears from mom, no reluctant child, just a normal walk to school.  I was even required to leave him "before the crosswalk".  Funny thing is, after school he told me he "looked back" to see if I was watching him go.  I wasn't.  I let him go.