Gabe's First Day of Kindergarten

Gabe leapt into kindergarten this morning with enthusiasm. I was saving a very important question for him until yesterday, mostly just because I couldn't decide whether or not I wanted to give him the choice. The all-important question was, "Gabe, do you want Mommy to drive you to school or do you want to take the bus?" His face instantly lit up! "I want to take the bus Mom!" (Darnit!) :D

Soooo, at 7:08 this morning, we are dutifully at the bus stop with Gabe. I'm looking around wondering why there aren't any other 5-year-olds at this bus stop. The youngest kid appears to be no younger than fourth grade, or I'm wildly out of touch with kids' ages, which is also a real possibility. The girl I'm apparently ogling asks me very sweetly, "Is this his first day of school?" I start chatting away, "Yep, and it's his very first time riding a school bus too." The bus pulls up right about then, and I begin asking the bus driver a hundred questions and make sure she too knows it's my son's first time EVER riding a school bus. I am contemplating following the bus to school when I overhear the kids having their own goodbye conversation.

In the background, I hear Sofia telling Gabe she wants to go on the bus too like "Franklin," and Gabe responding, "Sofia, you get to go on the Mommy bus." My thoughts turn back to him. What a smart little guy he is! And compassionate too -- consoling his sister! I give him a big hug and kiss and tell him to have a great day at school -- I tell him I can't wait to hear all about it later and that Daddy will be there to pick him up after school. For all my fears, I know everything will be fine.

Sofia and I are straining our necks and waving wildly at the bus as it takes off; neither of us can quite see Gabe through the windows. As soon as Sofia realizes the Mommy bus is not a big yellow bus, she is disappointed and cries almost the entire way to her new school. *sigh* She does calm down in time for drop-off. C'mon, I'm thinking, is the Mommy Bus that bad? :D

I am consoling Sofia through my own tears, telling her she'll be on that bus in no time -- in just two short years. The kids are growing up WAY too fast!!! Someone, anyone, please make time tick more slowly! I'm a mess of emotion today.