Memories... part 2...

One of Ava's chores is to make her bed, and I desperately wish I had taken a picture of the first time she ever did it to compare to today's final product below. Today was excellent & she was rather proud (I'm slightly embarrassed about all those large toys).

It's amazing how determined she is to succeed. When she started learning to make her bed, we made it into a little competition; could Mommy or Ava make their bed the best. She would come in beaming when she was done...I naturally declared her the winner every time.

I look at this bed today & realize we are about to put this bed away for good when her twin bed arrives. This is yet another emotional step for me, although I do find humorous the things we mom's hold dear to our hearts. Her crib switched to a toddler bed, & now it will go into storage like so many other memories.

Emotions...

Yesterday started at 5 am & continued to be busy until 9pm. It was a long day for me & I'm certain it made me an emotional wreck around 4:30 when I had to leave Ava, for the first time ever, with someone other than family or her extended family in preschool. Mind you, it was at school, with people I am just now getting to know, so it was not that bad, but boy was I nervous. Ava was a bit nervous, too, but said she could do it for a little bit. :) I knew Dejan would be picking her up after work, & I ran into one of her teachers in the hall & asked if she could check on her... What the heck was my problem, she was fine!!!???

I wouldn't settle down until I sent a frantic text message asking Dejan if he had her yet!! He sent me the photo below & I had to try keeping it together, at a Legacy Foundation meeting, because I almost started crying when I saw her sweet little face eating a blizzard at the DQ!

I never anticipated, on week two of my job, the emotion I would feel about the time spent away from home.. That has been my life for five years, it's what I did. Only now, I spend just enough time away from that life to miss it. Who knew! I was so ready to work.  I still love my decision to work & the After School program has been a success; I guess now, it allows me to step away from mommy hood and appreciate things I had stopped appreciating as a stay at home mom.

One thing I learned about myself yesterday, I can really keep the tears back when needed...I'm usually crying all the time freely. I'm Italian, it's part of what we do. :)

Ava did great yesterday. She only got a little emotional once when I came to say bye, & that's because a LARGE bumblebee had gotten into the room. Problem solved before I left, & her daddy treated her to ice cream afterwards, so all was right with the world again. I'm once again proud of her & love how quickly Dejan got there to pick her up. :)