123

123 days.

This is the number of days left until Emmanuel starts Kindergarten.

Is he anxious?  Absolutely not!  He can't wait to start this new adventure.

Am I anxious?  (Are you kidding?  Is this a trick question?  Am I breathing....of course I'm anxious to send my baby off to school!)  I got choked up walking to the school to fill out the registration paperwork.  Mind you, E is zoned for the best elementary school in the District and one of the best in the state...I have no doubt that he will absolutely thrive in school...I'm just selfishly thinking of how hard it is for me to face that he is old enough to read and write and to get his feelings hurt and to make friends and to crack jokes.  It feels like he was just 5 pounds, 9 ounces...or like he just learned to walk...or like he just discovered chocolate.  It happened so fast.  Too fast.

And poor Reesie looked at me with tear-filled eyes, and he said, "I'm gonna cry when Emmanuel goes to kindergarten because he won't ever come back!"

Dagger.  through.  the.  heart.  

All of my selfish anxiety went out the window as I went to comfort my boy.  Then, Emmanuel, in typical big-brother style,stepped in and said, "Reesie, it's ok.  I will come back, and you can do special things with mom and MG while I'm at school."  Reese looked at E, gave him a hug, and simply said, "Ok, Emmanuel."

These two truly are more than just brothers...they are friends.  They have been inseparable for almost three years.  They play together.  They share a room.  They have the same friends.  They dress up together.  They take baths together.  They brush their teeth at the same time.  They are always together...and Reese is not Emmanuel's shadow that just follows him around at will...he chooses to be with him.  They are not just brothers....they are "bruhs," and what a privilege it is to watch them develop a friendship.  

So, 123 days until our little family has a change of pace.  123 days to complete the items on my Kindergarten Bucket List that I made over a year ago.  123 days to savor every dress-up time, every playdate, every argument...

123 days before it is a little too quiet in my house during the day.

Welcome to Kindergarten!