The boy's growing up

I knew the day would come, the day when I had to cut the ties and let the boy go off into the big wide world of Kindy or Pre school on his own. Friday, the reality hit when I was faced with a phone call from the local daycare where his name has been on the waiting list pretty much since lil' miss came on the scene (it's a popular place). They phoned to advise me that there was an opening, and the boy was at the top of the list for it - two mornings a week 8.30 - 12.30.

Yesterday we met the office lady and next week is his induction where he and I go along together and meet the teachers and have the grand tour.

We've been preparing him for months to the fact that he'll be going to daycare some time in the near future, and so after around five months of waiting, he's become intrigued at the whole concept which is great as he's been a very shy boy in the past, as short a time ago as three or four months I would never have dreamed it being an easy step for him to make, but now I'm feeling slightly easier about it as he's started to come out of his shell more and more in the short time he's been a big brother.

So how am I feeling? Excited for him, but sad for me all rolled into one. I guess it's a lesser version of the feeling a mum gets when her child goes off to school. I'm happy he'll be off doing something fun and learning with that sponge of his, and I'm also excited to be able to spend some alone time with lil' miss, and of course I'll have another time slot to fit more office work in (yay), but for three and a half years, this little man has been not far from my side, and I get the feeling I'm going to feel like a limb has been cut off for a wee while until I get used to it. Because as much as some days he can drive me up the wall, 99% of the time he's a cool little dude and I really love having him hanging around my feet.

Right, time to harden up. He'll be fine, and so will I, but I'm predicting that for me, the best thing about his new life to come as a big day care boy, will be picking him up and bringing him home!