To Danny on Preschool Graduation

Dear Danny,

Right now you are fast asleep in your bed. This morning when you woke up, we still had a preschooler. You were so excited get up. You have been looking forward to preschool graduation for weeks.

Miss Cathi told you that you needed to wear your most handsome shirt, and you took her very seriously. Kate too was excited to get to see Miss Cathi again. When we walked up, you and Kate went together ahead. You are both so confident there, at Miss Cathi's, it is the old stomping grounds for both of you. That was quite a moment watching my two big kids, both who used to be preschoolers, walk up Miss Cathi’s long driveway. I still remember the first time we dropped off Kate, thinking, I’ll be making this drive for three years, and thinking how long that would be. But now it feels short.

You enjoyed the graduation, and were a little more, um, excited than last year. You did a great job on your poem, and your drawing was very detailed. We loved it.

You were very excited to get your yearbook. When we got home, you layed down right on the carpet the minute we got in the door, and I joined you, and Reid crawled to us, it was his first time crawling across the room, and we looked at your yearbook together.

[finished the following day]

This morning you were a little sad that preschool graduation was over. You had been looking forward for so long to how exciting preschool graduation would be, and I don't think you realized that graduation also meant you would be done with preschool. We talked for a while, and I told you that you'd always have me as a teacher. You didn't seem too disappointed with the thought.

Today we had the chance to just hang out. We gardened a little, played with Reid a little, cooked a little. It was so nice to just spend the day with my boys. I thought the whole year would be like this, just the three of us hanging out, waiting until we could go pick up Kate from school. But with having a baby who is still figuring things out and with life in general, it has been a hectic, fast year. It hasn't been until a month ago that I've felt you and Reid and I have really found a few days to just hang.

Next year you will be at kindergarten. You are more than ready, you read well, love to be with friends, and ask the best questions. But I am not ready. I will miss my Danny. So in the meantime, I'm holding on to these last few spring days, and crossing my fingers for some slow summer days, when I can just enjoy you before I have to share you with the world.

Love,

Mom