New Spaces and Places

September is a month of transition. The pool closes. Summer activities end. Summer winds down as school winds up. It is a time that reminds me of how far we have come in our journey of parenthood.

The next week will bring us new spaces and places for our boys. Today, Griffin moved up from his preschool classroom, the Bluebirds, to his pre-K classroom, the Orange Bears. I left him in the loving care of the same pre-K teachers, the lovely Miss Laura and Miss Karen, that both Aidan and Brennan had back in the day.

We've done it before this whole pre-K thing. We know the class, the teachers, the routine. Hell, I even have my materials ready to go for the first homework assignment. It's the third time. I've got this. There should be no surprises.

But, of course, I was still surprised that I had tears in my eyes as I left my little G in his big boy class. I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. But I was. It felt so final. There is so much growing up going in in our lives, so much moving on, and I am always caught off guard by how bittersweet it feels. My baby Griffin is such a boy.

Tomorrow my first baby, my Aidan, will get on the bus to start his year as a third grader. After we get Aidan off on the bus, I will jump into the car with Brennan to take him to his kindergarten screening. My sweet B, preparing for a year as a kindergartner. I am not sure my heart can take it.

Brennan starts school on Monday. I know he will hop on that bus, confident and excited to set off for his new adventure. He has been counting down the days for months. But I will not be surprised at all, when I, once again, have to hold back tears at how bittersweet it is to see my children move on and move up to new places.