we did it!!!

five little years ago, i truly couldn’t imagine a daily life that didn’t involve solidly snuggling my precious, newborn baby princess all day, every day! of course, some of that is really so difficult when you have a newborn. you think [at least i did] …will i ever be able to do anything other than just hold my baby and figure out what she needs? when will i vacuum? sleep? speak in a regular tone of voice? go to the bathroom? put on makeup? get a haircut? feel like me? literally, life with your very first newborn is just one foot in front of the other and nothing past that!

those times are both sweet and humbling, for sure. but… i was also so aware of the fact that i wouldn’t have a tiny baby for long… and all the freedoms i didn’t have in that brief [though seemingly unending!] time period could wait. for both of our babes, it’s been a huge priority of mine to live in each of their seasons, as surely each one passes… and i’m so so glad that i have!

how. do. five. years. go. by. so. FAST?!??!

madd and i have hardly been apart in her lifetime so far… but seeing her grow to love sunday school, overcome fears and thrive in dance class, and also just knowing how much she will love being a social butterfly while learning all the things she’s so naturally eager to learn… i’ve been both absolutely dreading and also crossing my fingers for this day for a while now.

and ohhhh, we were both so so so nervous with anticipation for her first day of pre-k!! gosh, i’ve been so afraid to mess anything up for her. pick out clothes, check! last minute shoe buying, check! pack lunch, check! don’t forget snack, check! water bottle! rest time blanket! label it all! check… check… nope, now that i think about it, i forgot to label her blanket. but what else? i mean, what if she needs a pony tail or gets a tummy ache or gets cold? what if she trips or chokes or needs a hug?? thank goodness for rollerball essential oils, because i sure packed them!

my sister had also given me a sweet gifty for her to open the morning she was off to school… i didn’t know what it was beforehand, but madd opened it to find a dainty necklace with the school emblem that my sis/her aunt christina had received when she graduated! oh, that little necklace made maddalena feel so good and confident and a part of something great. thank you, chrissy! and so… we snapped our first day pics and headed out the door! into the traffic… and listened to daniel tiger! because he makes everything better. we arrived, got out of the car, saw our bff maggie, who had just successfully dropped her girls! and headed in…

a million hugs later, rocco and i took off! and i’m pretty darn sure maddalena did better than i did in that 6 hours. haha. i cried. i drank too much coffee. i kept checking the clock! i felt like i needed to text and check in, but… wait?! you don’t just text school! waaa!!

well anyway, while we distracted ourselves, rocco and i ended up spending a pleasant morning in downtown franklin! we went to pick up something from my mother in law and stayed a while to visit with her over crepes and coffee at the cuuutest coffee shop ever… before heading to the farm where rocco got to do super manly things with papa and eat a little pasta. so, we enjoyed our day, for the most part!! still, i just couldn’t help but worry. and with an hour and a half to go, i was officially theee antsiest person on earth.

WAS SHE OKAY?!?!

i took my mom with me to surprise her when we picked her up… and as it turns out!! SHE WAS OKAY!!!! not only that, she loved it! she was worn plum out, but she’s had so many great things to share with us about sweet interactions she had with other girlies, snagging a hug from her bff lucy in the cafeteria [so bizarre to think steven and i sat by each other in that same cafeteria!! and it still smells just the same. aka yummy.], and how much she enjoyed her teachers!! i’m so proud of her, she’s so proud of herself, and seriously, she’s still confidently telling little tales and tidbits about her first day, with happy anticipation of going back tomorrow.

HALLELUJAH, AMEN!!!

so, sure, it’s been a little emotionally dramatic! and heck, if i hadn’t spent so many years in that place, myself, i may not have survived the day. haha! but we are no stranger to control issues here, and if there’s one issue i’d like to control for every second of every day it’s the wellbeing of my baby bunners. 😉 but!! truly, if she’s happy, i’m happy. and ready to welcome a new season… to change up our rhythm a bit, get to spend time again at some old stomping grounds, put a little more quality focus on my tiny mister, and maybe… just maaaaaaybe?! snag something along the lines of “me-time” again? because i for sure haven’t seen much of that in 5 years… not that i would ever want to complain about that! but… you know… 🙂

anyway, WE DID IT!!! she did it. she took a big, long-awaited step into a life she’s going to love… and i’m so so sooo proud. <3 i sure love you, maddalena rose!!!!

xoxoxo

[all that being said… as my babies grow, i want them to always have the right to live their own lives and share in their own ways without too much already disclosed by their silly mom on the internet/social media! know what i mean? so, this officially marks a time where i’m going to try even more to be very conscientious and careful to share little parts of my life without ever taking away her right to share hers… on her own, in her own time, however it is that she wants to tell her story as she carves her own beautiful little path! :)]

[also!! look at how long her sweet little backpack has been waiting to go to school with her!! ahh she looks so tiny in those photos! and all her little gear… we got it all monogrammed! naturally!]