Back to School

It's that time of year again - just turn on the television, turn on the radio, look at the newspaper. It's upon us like white on rice.

Back to School Shopping.

Ugh.

It seems like just yesterday the Girl was potty trained. And now, she's going into the second grade. I'll admit, when I dropped her off for her first morning of preschool, I got a little teary. She wasn't the least bit frightened, and didn't even look back as she let go of my hand and said, "Bye, Mommy."

Now, I was eight months' pregnant with her brother, but in all honesty, I can't blame my tears on hormones. It was hard to believe so much time had flown by and she was off to school.

On her first day of kindergarten, her dad, her brother, and I all walked her to the bus stop for her first trip on the school bus. Yep. Teared up. Yep. She didn't look back as she climbed up onto the bus and into a seat.

Last year, she started in a new school. Since we were moving that October, I'd made arrangements to transfer her to the new school so she wouldn't have to leave friends partway into the school year. This time, she was a little nervous. But once she found out that two of her friends from preschool were in her class? You guessed it. Not a backward glance.

As we're gearing up for a new school year, she reminds me (around the end of June) that she'll need all sorts of new clothes for school. I've been getting weekly reminders ever since.

So, I've put off the inevitable long enough and tomorrow we're going back to school shopping. Now, unlike her mother, the Girl is a girly-girl. She'd wear skirts and dresses all year round, so I have the feeling that's what I'll be stocking up on. And shoes. And backpack. And anything else she can think to add.

It's just so hard to believe she's a second grader. Yikes. And it won't be long before the Boy is going off on his first day of preschool. And his first bus ride.

And then I'll have the house to myself! =)