Those 3 Dreaded Words

That time is fast approaching. The time that I have been trying desperately to not think about over the past 5 years, but it's getting pretty hard to ignore. The time where I will have to follow someone else's schedule, besides my own. I will have places to be and people to see on a regular basis (boy this sounds hermit-like). I will have to socialize with people who only have one thing in common with me...my child and their child being in the same class. I will have to start getting my children up at 7:30 in the morning everyday to accommodate the two days a week when it will actually be necessary. But most dreaded of all: I will have to send my beautiful daughter off for two FULL days a week and trust that the person who is teaching her, and comforting her, and acknowledging her existence feels that she is as important as I do...which I know they won't. They can try, but they won't. And I will have to hope and PRAY that she will want to come home and share everything with us so I can be involved. I am her protector. I am her confidante. I am the one who GETS her. And no one else does, quite the same way. I know when to be firm with her, and when to be squishy. I have to pretend that it's exciting and not scary on the first day, so she'll be excited and not scared. On the days she comes home and has had a bad day, I will have to be strong and encourage her to go back and try again, instead of retreating into our own world, like I want. She is the best girl in the world! What if kids tease her? What if they don't like her? What if no one wants to play with her? How do I help her to be ok with that? How do I teach her to be confident but respectful? What if all the kids want to be her friend and then all of a sudden she wants to spend more time with them than me? How do I deal with someone who might have a different teaching approach than I do? What if they don't tailor it to her needs? How can I miss her 'ah-ha' moments when she learns something new and can't come and share her excitement with me right away? How do I explain to her brother that he has to wait 2 years before it's his turn. That's more than half his lifetime.
In a few weeks, my life is going to change forever. Kindergarten.
It's 'Back-To-School' time. blah.
I am excited, however, about back-to-school shopping. That's something I never mind doing. We did a bit today, and I think she's going to be one awesome fashionista. Pictures to come soon.