First day of Preschool... How is this day here already???

Today my baby (she was just born yesterday, wasn't she???) starts preschool...  For more than 2 years she has been begging to "pleeeease let me go to school!" and "pleeeease let me ride the school bus!"  She has been excited and counting down the weeks all summer, while I've been trying not to think about it and fighting back the tears. Yesterday was "practice day." We got to ride the bus to school together and go to orientation. On the way home Abi had already made a new friend and I had to find my own seat!  :)  I was nervous about today for her because I wasn't quite sure if she realized that she was going by herself this time.  She was ready and waiting for the bus a full half hour early.  As the bus rounded the corner I reached to give her a hug and a kiss...  she pushed me away with a "Mah-aamm!", ran on the bus and never looked back.  She is SO ready for this! ...I am SO not...  I held in the tears long enough for the bus to round the corner and Kris to leave for work and then came inside to sob my heart out...  I think this is the hardest parenting thing I've had to do yet. ...the start of letting go... ...and I hate it.  I had to compose myself so as not to freak Dan out - he's a little lost as it is without "Sissy" here!  I spent the morning frantically cleaning the house to keep myself busy and pass the time - I was a bit in shock at how easy it was to clean with only one sweet kid under foot...  I must have turned the vacuum off a million times to check my phone and listen to every passing car... ...and then - she was home!!  Absolutely as happy as can be!  She had the time of her life!!  She's a bit upset that tomorrow is Saturday and she can't go again till Monday...

Lover of Books!

Abi is absolutely in love with books. Its funny - I remember when she was really little always trying to read to her and she wanted absolutely nothing to do with it. I was sad, thinking that she wouldn't be into reading. Though I'm not much of a reader I really feel that its important and want my kids to love books. I'm not sure what changed - for the longest time the only book she'd sit for was a Bible story before bed, but now she is constantly carting books around, asking me to read to her and "reading" to herself and everyone else. I think its been for about the last 6 months. Her memory amazes me too - If I read a book to her once, she will correct me every time from there on out if I say a wrong word! She remembers so much it baffles me!

Danny seems to love books already... He can be running around like a crazy man getting into everything and the moment I get a book to read to them, he'll just sit quietly in my lap and listen.

Abi's love of books is not the only to change recently. Once again I'm amazed by how things change. We've thought for a bit that she was going to be more of a shy, loner type because she's been fairly intimidated by people in general since she was little. All of a sudden - within the last 2 months she's come out of her shell in a MAJOR way! No longer shy, very outgoing, talks to everyone, and wants to have her friends around at all times. Its totally an awesome experience to watch our babies learn, grow and change. I wish I could document every single moment to remember!