Before the first day

One of the hardest parts of mothering, in my opinion, is when your children let go.

When they decide that they are big enough to do things without you.

With this little darlin' being our last and final go 'round, I found it especially hard to let her let go.

People have asked me if the first day of school was hard. 

Nope. Not one bit.

It was the day before the first day that I had a mini breakdown.

Because I knew that this would be the last day it would ever be just the two of us.

We had been inseparable for the past 5 years. 

Wherever I went, she went.

We would eat together, sleep together, and sometimes? Sometimes we would go potty together. (I'm not kidding when I say she was stuck to me like glue most days.)

I snapped these pictures the Sunday evening before school started. She had gone outside to play and she was so lost in her little world that I just broke down.

It made me sad to know that she would be leaving me and meeting new people and learning new, not always good, things. But I also knew that this is a part of life. I want her to have the experiences that will make her a more strong, independent, and compassionate person. 

I know that I did a good job here at home being her mommy, her playmate, her best friend, for those first 5 years. I know that because I see the kind of person she is right now, and I have seen that she is already strong. And independent. And compassionate. 

She is Laynee. And she is amazing.