Autumn in the air

The Hex Check right now stands at 55. I wish it was more, but it seems every day is busier and busier as we approach the first official day of school (which is tomorrow!!) I am feeling that maternal disbelief that my first born is going to first grade--real full-day eat-lunch-at-school--and my baby is a kindergartner!!! What kind of tricks is time playing on me?

Just a small handful of autumns ago, my little ones were still riding in a stroller and wanting to be carried and dining on Cheerios in little snack bags and toting around drool-coated stuffed animals:

Now they are both going to be getting on a bus and riding away from me (at least for a few hours) and I am feeling quite caught up in wondering how they got to be so big and so independent.

My son asked me over the weekend if I was going to cry when they get on the bus to go to school. I kept what I hope was a happy/neutral face and said that when they get on the bus to go to school that I was going to be proud of them and that I'd be sending them off to get even smarter than they are now. Between you and me, I'm pretty sure tomorrow after DD gets on her bus, I'm gonna need some Kleenex when I walk into the house and neither one of them are there.