And, she's off!

It's awfully quiet around here.

What do I do now?

E has been at school for 45 minutes now. 45 minutes down and many, many years to go. I hope she likes it.

The phone is right here. I'm willing it not to ring, hoping with 95% of my being that she's fitting in, having fun, making friends, not peeing in her underwear.  The other 5% is wondering how bad it would be to get just one more day together before she becomes a student and not just my baby.

I spent a few minutes last night before bed scheduling out this whole day. Right down to the minute. Partly because of that and partly because the organization gods were clearly smiling on me this morning, getting E off to school went like clockwork. We even had time to take some pictures.

E was the second person to arrive and be greeted by the teacher. I love the number 2 spot. All the pressure of being first is gone but you don't have to sit and let it build up again by waiting forever. I think it's a good sign. She sat in the chair that the teacher pointed out and began dutifully removing her shoes...but not before she informed her that she was carrying a lunch bag that contained a fork and a spoon. I gave her a quick kiss, wished her a wonderful day, and that was it. As I walked away I pretended not to notice the toddler that was clinging to his dad's leg, sobbing dramatically and begging not to be left there. And when I turned around before heading out the door, she was gone. Just like that.

There are freshly baked oatmeal cookies that will be waiting with a big glass of milk when she gets home. There will be a HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL cake for dessert tonight. Her Uncle Hill, Aunt Kelly and cousins Aayla and Ruby are coming to visit, which will make the whole thing feel that much more festive. And that also means that I have a few things to take care of in the 6 hours and 3 minutes left before it's time to pick her up. And I'm very, very grateful for that.