oh the places you'll go

congratulations!

today is your day.

you're off to great places!

you're off and away!

(thank you dr. seuss. it's a long story...wanna read the rest? go here)

jack started a new journey on august 17, 2011. he started kindergarten. not preschool. kindergarten. and not only is it kindergarten...it's all.day.kindergarten.

this was one of those milestones that left me with a lump in my throat. how was my baby going to kindergarten? i literally just brought him home from the hospital that morning.

i wasn't able to sleep the couple days leading up to the big day. i would go in and lay with him throughout the night. i was excited for him on the outside. in the inside i was a nervous wreck. when the big day arrived he was in our room at 6 am. clearly getting up that early is not an option. so he crawled in bed with us and slept until 7. when we got up i saw that he had already gotten dressed before he came in at 6. he must have been a little excited too.

nate stayed with sammy so i could take jack to school. jack was brave. even if he had been nervous i would have never known. he walked in like he owned the place. such a stud. i on the other hand cried all the way home.

i got to the school 40 minutes early to pick him up...yeah, i was that excited to see him. when he finally came out it took total self-control not to knock him over with a huge hug. he told me all about his day. on the way home he said to sammy, "now sammy, you got to be with mommy all day so now it's brothers turn to snuggle with mommy."

he has yet to complain about school. he really likes going. he's grown up so much in just a month. it's crazy.

jack-you ask me everyday if i miss you while you were at school. the answer is yes! like crazy! you and i have been inseparable for 5 years. you're my bestest buddy. as hard as it was to send you off to school it's going to be worth it. you're going to be something great. i know it. and it's these kinds of experiences that will shape you into the best person you can be. plus, every night when i put you to bed, you tell me you love me to your double twenty eighty sixty nine heart. knowing that, jack, gets me through the day.

mommy loves you, jack.