my little corner...: did you miss me...

i guess i really didn't know how the first day of preschool was going to go...

i was all prepared to get up early, make a good, nutritious breakfast. have plenty of time to get ready, prepare, get my emotions under control...you know, all the good stuff done with really good intentions.

and then i slept in.

and then livie decided that she needed to be snuggled.

a lot.

as in, being snuggled and not being put down.

and elias needed to eat.

and then livie decided that she needed to pick up elias to stop him from crying.

and she choose the moment while i was doing lyla's hair - in full view.

and when i tried to calmly call out to put him down, she preceded to do so, with a bit of pizazz thrown in, right on the cold, hard, kitchen floor.

let's just say that the calm, relaxing moment that i was planning for didn't happen.

but pictures did.

and i now present to you my official, sweet, excited preschooler:

it was right after this picture was taken that lyla whispered to me, ever so urgently, "mama, you *can* go now".

i felt my heart break...but instead i smiled bravely and whispered that i loved her and told her that she was going to have so much fun, to which she replied, "i *know* mama".

when i came back 2 hours later, i didn't know what to expect. she didn't react at all the way i thought she would - i'm the one with tears in my eyes - i'm the one who felt like an appendage was missing - i'm the one who had to walk away.

and then, as i walked in the door, miss mae saw me, yelled "mama!!" and flung herself into my arms, squeezing the very life right out of me.

and then, she brought her lips close to my ear and whispered, "mama...did you miss me?"

"yes baby, mama missed you *so* very much!"

"mama?"

"yes sweetheart?"

"i missed you *so* much too."

and i realized i had my little girl for just a bit longer.

and i guess now that she is going to school, she's old enough for make-up: