Facing Change!

I went school clothes shopping yesterday. Of course I took Emi with me, because YES, that is who we are shopping for. She is starting school in less then 3 weeks. I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday that my little 5lb 15oz girl slipped in to our world. Now I am sitting on a bench in a fitting room watching her try on the latest Old Navy fashions. I watched as she turned around admiring the latest outfit from every angle. I found myself, for the 1, 275,487 time since we began the search process for a pre-school, looking at her, lump forming in my throat and tears filling my eyes. I realized yesterday as Emi was saying, "I like that shirt" or "That's a really ugly skirt Mama", that I am no longer the "Mama" of a Baby, I am the "Mama" of a grown-up-but-still-little-in-my-eyes girl who is starting school. She will have teachers and homework and projects and we will be hanging the latest and neatest arts & crafts projects on the refrigerator. She will have school programs and little friends who I don't know.........does anybody understand that I'M NOT READY FOR THIS!!!!!!!!!!! But, even though I am not quite ready to give up my baby I am also so excited for the future. So, I will cry 5,935 more times before the first day and then I will probably cry like a baby the entire day. Here begins the countdown...........