School is Out for the Summer!

I can vividly remember walking down the hall towards Little Man's classroom on his first day of school. We were both equally nervous. He was so little to me and even though I knew that 2 days of school a week would be beneficial, part of me felt like I was abandoning him. I remember leaving him crying in his classroom and walking down the hall where total strangers hugged me while I cried and then went and peeked in at him giving me updates on his progress. Those total strangers are now my friends and both Little Man and I are better for the experience.

I remember his second week of school where I bribed him with the promise of M&M's and Curious George if he didn't cry when I dropped him off. I will forever have the image of his little lip quivering as he tried his best to keep it together and how he repeated over and over "Mama's always come back, Mama's always come back". And he did it! By his second week he was good to go and by the end of the year I had to beg for a kiss goodbye.

On our way to his last day of school today he proudly said to me, "Don't worry Mama, I won't cry. Mama's always come back". I realized that even as far as he had come in adjusting and totally loving school, he remembered those early days too. Maybe not as clearly as I do or in the same way, but the coping mechanisms that we put in place are still there. He still gets his little treat waiting for him in his car seat and we still say "Mama always comes back" right before he walks into the school. He has grown up so much through this year and has been exposed to so many things I wouldn't have been able to or even thought to do with him at home. Now how am I going to keep him entertained all summer??!!

Here are the pictures from the first day of school and the last day of school. What a difference 9 months can make, both in growth and maturity. He is such a big boy now and he is so proud of himself. He really takes pride in the big boy tasks we give him. So while I shed a few tears on his first day of school, I have to say I am a bit teary on his last day of school too. My Little Man is growing up.

September 2009

May 2010