Owen's preschool graduation

My baby isn’t really a baby anymore. The 24^th of May marked Owen’s last day at Children’s Way, his last moments of preschool. It was a day filled with all the feels. Owen has been showing me some really wonderful growth lately- I see him working hard to be kind and control his frustration and he’s really been quite helpful each day, making his bed, not waking Collin, things that earlier this month even were not easy to come by. I’m so proud of him and I love to see him make such accomplishments, but at the same time, Owen, my sweet tiny baby boy, is anything but a baby anymore. He’s headed to Kindergarten as an independent, amazing, bright, persistent and passionate kiddo and that transition, moving out of preschool into Kindergarten, is something I didn’t think would be so hard on me, but here we are and I want to hang on for a few more minutes.

Children’s Way really is a fantastic preschool – we’ll miss terribly the teachers there and all the amazing things that they do with the kids, and I’ll miss getting to spend time chatting with the moms and seeing Owen with his buddies- many of whom are moving on to other schools for K, which is sad for us. We’ve built some really fantastic relationships with these families over the past 5 years.

Owen is ready though, and anxious to be at EDW. We hope he’ll be in Lindsey Field’s class, and we hope too that he’ll love her just as much as Collin did. He’s heading into K with an arsenal of skills- fantastic social skills, early reading skills, and some beginning math. He’ll do great I know. I have no anxieties about the fun ahead.

But still, I’m losing preschool.

Now I know that there is a new baby just around the corner, so its not as though that phase has entirely passed, but its different with Owen. He’s been my cuddler, my youngest for so long it feels like there is something missing now. Like someone took one of my limbs, because up until now his identity has been tied to being the youngest, the one I cut the most developmental slack, the one I practice patience with. But now, here we are nearing K, and he doesn’t need those things any longer. He needs a momma who sees him as an independent Kindergartener.

And so, I am trying. With all my might to see him through that lens. I’ve put away the glasses that helped me nurture him from a baby, to toddler to preschooler, in exchange for the ones that help him continue on as a little boy in Kindergarten.

Sigh.

Parenting is hard. And heartbreaking. And wonderfully rewarding all at the same time.

To Kindergarten and new adventures, new growth and to little boys who turn into young gentlemen.