First Day of School Reflections

How can it be that I have first graders? Wasn't it just yesterday that I was in a hotel room in Delaware wondering what the heck I had gotten myself into? TWO babies? At my age?

And now here they are, nearly 7 years later going off on their own and by themselves and, you know, we've had a really good ride so far.

Which is probably why I know I'm going to miss them more this year than last. Last year they were only in school for about three hours and by the time I dropped them off knowing they were together for the afternoon, and then ran a few errands, it was nearly time to wait at the bottom of the driveway for the bus to bring them home.

This year they leave in the morning, spend the day in separate classrooms and then come home in the middle of the afternoon. I wondered, until today, how they'd cope; how I'd cope.

Last week though, I had a clue of what today would be like for them. I took them to the bike park so they could get some exercise (in other words, not drive me CRAZY for a few minutes). The playground part of the bike park sits on a hill, so you can look over the kids as they race around the bike paths (actually walking paths) that circle around several acres of land, over a bridge and around a tennis court.

The girls started off on their bikes together, laughing with each other and racing as they sped over the bridge and came to the part of the path that circles around the tennis court. That's when Hannah went to the right and Lizzie went to the left.

They went their separate ways without a glance back at each other, without a word. They zoomed around the tennis court and passed each other without a word, too.

Then they both came back to the bridge, Lizzie first.

And she waited for Hannah. They high-fived, laughed at something so funny I could hear them way up on top of the hill, and then sped back up towards me, together.

They were ready, whether I was or not.

So, I should have known then they'd be fine today. I should have known then, that even though they can be intent on their own tasks and their own futures, that they'd likely circle back to each other no matter what. That they are joined in the inextricable threads of twinship no matter what the world is like or where they go or how far they travel. They are joined.

Me? Well, I need to work a little on the letting go part. Those babies who relied on me for everything in that hotel room are ready to ride off a little more on their own. Not into the sunset or anything, but a little further away from me; away from each other.

I need to see them more as the individuals they are rather than the unit they present themselves as. I couldn't see this day back in that hotel room. I couldn't see them as anything other than my babies, forever. But I knew it was coming, this first grade, this first taste of real independence from each other; from me. It just seemed to happen so quickly.

So as we sit here now, with this first day behind us, it turns out we were all ready for it.

So here they were this morning, getting ready to go to the bus stop. For those who don't read my Facebook, Hannah had a run-in with a picnic table on Sunday at the park (playing tag with Lizzie -- the picnic table was home base) and she split her eye. This was after being stung by bees three times on Saturday. Needless to say, we didn't go anywhere on Monday. They are particularly proud of their Littlest Pet Shop lunch boxes because this is the first year they've NEEDED lunchboxes, but the iCarly sneakers are a close second:
We're not alone at the bus stop (aka the end of our driveway) as our new neighbors have a daughter, Abigail, who started kindergarten today. Hannah took it upon herself to take Abigail under her wing, sit with her on the bus and tell her how much fun school was. I got to meet Abigail's mom who was very teary-eyed at sending her baby (and only child) off to kindergarten. We had a long chat after the kids got on the bus and it was nice to have a neighbor with a child roughly the same age as Hannah and Liz:

Here they are on the bus:

TIME PASSES! I mostly organized things in the house to prepare for my surgery tomorrow and missed Hannah and Liz until I realized I could go to the Library BY MYSELF and choose books FOR MYSELF. So I did and it was grand! I also ate lunch without anyone making me get up for more milk or another handful of pretzels. So, there are some very good things about having the day to get things done BY MYSELF.


Then the bus came again...Hannah LOVED LOVED LOVED school. She said she DOES have to find a new boyfriend, since last year's boyfriend is no longer in her class. She was also very excited that she made a new friend at school and that little girl ALSO has a twin sister (identical twins).Lizzie was exhausted after school although she did manage to tattle on her sister about a few things that happened during lunch and recess, so that made her happy. Her teacher is very organized and sent a bunch of things home that will make my life easier. Unfortunately Hannah's teacher had a family emergency (her father died unexpectedly late last week -- principal informed us of this yesterday, although the Mom grapevine was in effect so I actually knew about it last week) so Hannah started the year with a sub, but that was fine with her, too. Oh, and Lizzie said she isn't sure if she missed Hannah, but she did try to peak into her classroom a few times to see what she was doing. Hannah said she missed Lizzie, but saw her a few times, so it was okay:

And here they are with their after school cookies and juice. As I type this they are trying to pick each other up and screaming and laughing and all seems right with my world. And loud. I live in a very loud world: