pre-school eve

tomorrow jack starts pre-school! well, sort of -- we have a family meet-and-greet type thing for an hour, then he officially starts next tuesday. i am SO excited for him -- i think he will really love going to school, meeting new friends, learning from his teacher, having an activity that is all his own. plus the 2 1/2 hours i will get to fly solo with just hudson at home sound pretty dang dreamy to me too. ;) but in all seriousness -- i feel a tiny bit sad too. my boy is growing up!

i sure love this kid. we've both had kind of a rough summer trying to figure out a new normal now that jack isn't the center of my attention at all times anymore, but i think we're starting to get it. and despite all the tantrums and irrational crazyness coming from him, jack is still the sweetest cutest boy. i'm floored daily by the cute things he comes up with and by seeing how his little mind works. (also in observing how good of a mimic he is becoming -- just this week i've heard him say "green light, idiot" and "freaking obama" to his toys...i'll let you guess where he's learned those. guess mama needs to watch her language. :)

and now, after three years of being right by his side almost every second of every day, he is going off to the real world. granted he IS only three years old and it will only be for 2 1/2 hours, two days a week, but this is the beginning of the end. i won't be there to watch and guide him as i've done so far in his little life, and it makes me sad to think of that cute little guy learning and growing and doing things without me there to cheer or help. this is one tiny baby step into the real world -- the first step in him learning to be an independent, think-for-himself human. i guess that's what parenthood is all about....but it sucks. my type-A self does NOT want to give up control of my kids, especially to let them be corrupted by the big bad world. ha, yes, the big bad world of pre-school...i realize i sound like a crazy person, but this is the first step. heaven help me the day he leaves for college or his mission. :)