I Have A First Grader!!

It came just way too fast.  My baby started First Grade yesterday.

Nani's been bouncing off the walls for about 2 weeks now.  Couldn't wait to use her pink sparkly backpack.  Couldn't wait to meet her new teacher.  Couldn't wait to wear her new school clothes.

The day finally arrived and I wanted to make her first day special.

While wasting a day sucked into Pinterest browsing Pinterest one evening, I came across this fabulous idea for the "Back-To-School Fairy".  Such a CUTE idea!  I wrote the note with my left hand to make it look like a child wrote it.  She's become quite the little writer over the summer, so as a gift, I got Nani a new journal and a pink pen to write all about her adventures in first grade. 

For breakfast that morning, I made heart and teddy bear shaped pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries.  I think she was pretty surprised, don't you?

Then we had to take our yearly first day picture in our front yard.  There's a tree in our front yard and ever since Nani started preschool, we've taken her first day picture in front of that tree.  This year was no different.

And there she goes...

And of course, Nudgie had to get ready for school too.  She has her own little lunch bag (which was filled with a Barbie shoe, her stuffed doggie, and her play telephone).  Sorry, little one -- I get to hold on to you one more year!

I didn't realize, until I was looking through the pictures last night, that My Marine caught this moment between me and Nani.  I held back the tears (both then and when I saw this picture).  I just didn't want to let her go.  But Nani, so wise for her 6 years, said to me, "I know you're going to miss me mommy, but I have to go so I can learn."

Off she goes!!  Not even a look back!

While she was at school, I baked some cookies for us to have as an after-school snack while she told us all about her day.  It's something that I hope to keep up with, if not every day, then at least a couple days a week.

And so it begins.......every day, my baby takes another step away from me and out on her own.  I'm so proud of the little girl that she's become and hope and pray for the woman that she will be.