I know it's not a unique experience to me; being a mom who is experiencing her own growing pains as she watches her little girl grow up. But it doesn't seem to make it any easier.
Just over one year ago, Joy started kindergarten. Each day brought new anxieties about how school would start and end, and what would happen in the middle. Either her dad or I would walk her all the way to her classroom, and wait inside the room until the first bell rang and the teacher arrived. She was often ready with the "class teddy bear" for Joy to hold. There were days that Joy cried during lunchtime, saying she just wanted her mom. I thought my heart was going to break then.
And now, she's almost done with first grade. I drop her off outside of school, where her friends are waiting for her. And this morning, she forgot to give me a kiss as she passed - she had already seen her group of 3 little girl friends by the bike stands and was running towards them as she hollered back, "LOVE YOU TOO, MOM!"
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Cross-posted from singlesupermama.com