A big day for Alyssa...and Mom...

We've been preparing Alyssa for today for a week now. Visits to the room, talking through what would happen before we went and what would happen when we got there. What we didn't prep for was how I would feel after I walked away.

Here is my baby girl the day she was born.

and here she is this morning...

This big girl had her first day of preschool today. I have never been so proud of her or excited for her as I was today, but at the same time, today marked an end to the ways things have been. I have felt this way one time before and it was the day before I went in to the hospital to have Evan. I realized that day just as I realized today that things will never be the same. That day, I realized it would never just be Alyssa and me again. And today I realized Alyssa will never be home all day everyday under my care again. Neither one of these realizations are bad, in fact they are both really good, never-the-less...

Alyssa always functions best when she understands what to expect, so we began last week by taking her to her new school to check out the room. She played and we walked through what would happen on her first day. Then last night before bed we talked about what would happen in the morning. It worked beautifully.

Here she is walking up to the building...very excited.

Waiting for the teacher to come open the door. Still very excited.

It's show time... Feeling a little less excited but...

She did it! Look way down at the end of the hallway. It took her a minute, but she walked down the hall by herself. I kept myself hidden so as to not discourage the bravery. I then had to convince myself it was ok to walk away....she'd be fine.

And of course she was. An excited Alyssa ran to greet me at 11:30. She was excited about the snack and the rhyme the said to learn everyone's name. She said she wants to go back...yay!

Evan and I had a productive morning. He napped, I did laundry, he played and then we ran a few errands.

So here's to change and bravery. I hope she always faces life with the courage she did today. Way to go Alyssa, I'm so proud of you.