First week of school

This week Grace began school. I offered to walk her into school under the guise of helping her carry in her bags of school supplies. Secretly, I was worried about a melt-down and thought that if I walked her inside the school it would ease her transition. She trotted into school as if she hadn't been gone for almost three months, found her 1st grade classroom and walked in without the slightest hesitation. I helped her find her desk with her name on it. Then I said I had to go and she was all "Bye, Mommy." I tried to not register surprise at the ease of this good-bye and left quickly. As I walked out of the building, I fought back tears and then I began an internal discussion where I argued with myself about the absurdity of being sad that my daughter liked, yes LIKED! school and was happy to separate from me.

Abe also started day care this week. He will go two days a week so I can spend more time at the spa and catching up on my soap operas. He, like Grace, had a great first day-no crying whatsoever. When I came to pick him up, he was excited to see me, but then went back to playing and didn't want to leave with me.

I don't know why I spend all of this time and energy trying to mold two uncivilized creatures into productive members of society and then I am surprised and saddened with the ease with which they enter the larger world. Doesn't that mean I have done my job well? Apparently with job success also comes obsolescence.