Yes, I Cried

So, yesterday was Gabe's first day of Kindergarten. His backpack, jacket, hat, and name tag were set by the door (with care), and his lunch was made and waiting in the refrigerator. His outfit for the first day of school was carefully picked out, and sitting on his bookcase. His alarm was set for 6:00 AM, to make sure he had plenty of time to get ready and eat breakfast. And then we drove him to school.

We parked the van and walked him in and yes, I cried. I didn't want to let him go. My baby is no longer a baby. He's in school now. My husband met him after class got out, to make sure that he got onto his bus for his afternoon class at the local multipurpose center. I was so worried about him. I'm still worried about him. But he seems to be doing okay.

He enjoyed school, and while he was disappointed that they did not get any recess time, he was excited about getting a tour of the school. And explained how they were supposed to walk through the halls - in one straight line with a finger to the lips and a hand on the hip. He brought home a picture he colored, along with a packet full of paperwork for us to read and fill out. When we picked him up yesterday afternoon, he was so happy to see us and so excited to talk to us about his day. He was like a wriggly little puppy.

My MIL dropped him off this morning, and I just called to check on him. She said he was Mr. Independent and asked that she just pull up to the door in the Kiss and Go lane and let him get out because he knew the way to his classroom. And I cried. My baby has gotten so big. So very big. I'm so glad he's doing well, although I know that today is only day two.

It's amazing how quickly the time goes. It feels like he was just born yesterday. I can vividly remember the start of my labor, and the night while the contractions got more frequent. The delivery is a bit of a blur - there were so many people in the room. I can remember bringing him home to our apartment and our first walk around the block, and how painful that was. I remember each of his birthdays. But it still feels like it happened so quickly, that five years were gone in a flash.
Then again, my ten-year high school reunion is next month, and I'm wondering where those years went.