Growing pains

I signed Riley up for 2 year old school with parents because he was an only child with a stay at home Grandma who provides him daycare.  I wanted him to learn how to play with others, to share and see how to put others first, to have fun exploring and learning about himself along the way.  Most importantly I wanted to continue to nurture his spiritual growth and I look back at the last year completely blown away by the progression of my 2 year old.  The explosion of words, understanding and joy that has resulted from his 2 hours a week on Thursday is remarkable and I owe a huge THANKS and a debt of gratitude to my Mom for taking him for 5 months, to Mrs Penny and Mrs Passe for loving him and being so good with him, to all of the cute kids and their wonderful parents who we attended with and of course to my wonderful daughter for being born and allowing this very proud Mama to finally attend and LOVE everything about 2 year old school.  Thursdays at work were always a little blue for me.  I would sit and wonder what he was doing while he was at school and I would anxiously look through his backpack for the cute artwork and announcements that came home with him.  I was so happy to finally be able to participate and I am now the one experiencing the growing pains.

Today was our last day of school.  I am weepy and teary eyed that my 2 year old is soon to be a 3 year old and that next fall he will be walking into a classroom all by himself.  I am so heartbroken at how much growing up he has done this last year.  It makes me so proud to see him counting to 10, reading to me books that I have always read to him and understanding enough to stop asking the numerous why questions he used to ask incessantly.  I know that the best is yet to be but for now in this moment I sit and think that time has gone entirely too fast.

One of the most humbling moments in Motherhood for me was when he saw that Alyssa was sick with a cold.  He asked me to fold my hands and then continued with "Dear Ward, peese help Lyssa feel better cause Jesus woves Lyssa."  I am thankful that he has an understanding of God and knows that he can take all worries small and big in front of Him.  This is a direct reflection on not only us as parents but also on the caring and loving guidance by his teachers.  He lights up with joy when he sees Mrs Penny or Mrs Passe in church and he runs up to them as fast as his skinny legs will take him to give them big bear hugs.  They always bend down to him and give him their full attention, for this I am thankful.  He is always happy and excited to go to school because of how wonderfully carefree and fun these ladies have made it for all the kids, for this I am thankful.  He has a great Pre-K and Kindergarten school to attend for the next 4 years and for this I am so very thankful.

He/all the kids are so much fun to watch and one of the other Mom's told me last week that Riley is one of the happiest and most smiley kids she has ever seen.  She wondered if he was ever in a bad mood...never ; )  One of the Grandma's to a cute classmate told me that the she can't believe how outgoing and talkative he is compared to where he was back in September.

I am sad to say goodbye to 2 year old school but I realize that this is just the beginning and I am so thankful for all the memories and for my boy who has grown up and will continue to do so with me as his Mommy.

Mrs. Passe, Riley's gentle and caring teacher aide.

 Mrs. Penny, Riley's fun, loving, hands-on, not at all afraid of messes and best bubble blowing Teacher for his first year of school.