Big First for my "Wittle" Boy.

I am a proud and somewhat melancholic Mommy tonight. My little boy had his very first day of preschool today, and I experienced quite a range of emotions. Proud but anxious. Excited but saddened. You see, he is my youngest right now. I'm not sure at this point if we will have another baby (though I would really love to, but that's for another posting!), so there is a chance that he will be my last one to send off for a first day of preschool. So, while I am confident in him and sure that this will be a growing experience for him, I am also sad that this marks, in some ways, the beginning of the process whereby he will gradually spend less time with me and more with other influential adults. This is good, very good. But it also means that he is growing up, and quickly. And that is always bitter sweet. Hayden was so excited to put on his backpack. And, yes, we went with the camo shirt, which looked so precious with his matching T-rex hat and big-boy Gap jeans and Gap school bus back-pack. And he still stated that he wanted to ride the big yellow school bus with his sister. But, he seemed OK this morning with the fact that that won't happen until he's in kindergarten. However, I think he also sensed that this was big and might be a little bit scary at first. Last night, as we were talking about the big day, he looked at me and said, in words so sweet and so beyond his years, "Mommy, but I am a wittle boy." Part of me screamed to myself "What am I doing sending him to school? He is just a wittle boy!" But, then again, I think that's a natural part of those first steps of letting go for moms. Hayden especially loved that the preschool room is well-stocked with trains and cars, and he gravitated toward those toys immediately upon entering the room. The third photo is, of all the many photos I took today, the one that really speaks to me. It was almost as if that little car was a security for him, if only for a fleeting second, as he sat there taking in this new place, this new experience. And then he was off to the trains and never looking back. The coloring and projects? Well, they are not necessarily his activities of choice at this point, but that will come. He is a go-er, a do-er, a hands-on little guy. Thankfully, the class is only six kids, so he will get plenty of personal attention and hugs and reassurance and structure when necessary. It was so, so precious and heart-warming to see my daughter, who had this same preschool teacher, take her little brother's hand, show him where to hang his coat, and show him some of the fun things to do in preschool. What a good teacher and Mommy she will be someday. Yes, a big day for both wittle boy and Mommy.

And today was the official start to my effort to revamp my family's eating and exercise habits. We did great on the eating front--lots of veggies including fresh homemade veggie soup that both kids helped me make, along with fresh bread. Oatmeal and fruit for breakfast, along with a salad and soup for lunch. Peanut butter and bananas for a snack. Tomorrow, I am planning on our first family activity night--either playing softball at the gym or some family time on the trampoline. Come spring, I am praying that we have more energy, more motivation, and more commitment to choosing active outings for our family time. So far, no major chocolate cravings, though I am well-armed with lowfat hot cocoa and Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches for when the inevitable happens!!