A half birthday and a first day of school. Wow!

We've been working on a lot of good skills at home. 

And we've been practicing sharing with others.

She's been on countless field trips to explore people, textures, and activities.

But today it was time to start the process of doing this WITHOUT US.

I dropped Elliott and Fiona at Ithaca Montessori School for "phase-in" this morning.  

We all walked up to Willow Room and saw this sweet sign: 

Fiona knocked on the (very low) door knocker, Teacher Beth opened the door as planned, and Fiona peeked in then strode with confidence, without looking back, to the far end of the room and started playing with a new friend at a craft table.  Elliott followed her in to observe and be a comforting presence for the first of a few transition days. 

I closed the door after them and immediately started crying with the pride of seeing her fly off to her next big adventure, with the dear nostalgia I have for the babyhood we shared, and for the big parting of ways that this little hour of school portends.  I drove home crying to Raffi's Greatest Hits, hugged my own mommy, and got an hour's work done.  

Meanwhile, Elliott sat in his wooden chair trying his best to be "boring" for an hour and taking notes.  Fiona spent 3/4 of her time in the snack area, retrieved a dropped bead for a girl doing beading work, exerted her physicality only once (moved Miles' arm that was in her way; I cut her nails really short last night in case she went in for her signature affectionate corneal tickle on some unsuspecting new classmate), went to the door with her teacher and said, "Mom?" once, checked in visually with Elliott once, spilled a glass of milk (which Miles kindly mopped up), checked out the bathroom facilities, and generally had a good time in a peaceful and busy classroom of 9 kids ages 18 months to 3 years.  

All is well.

Willow Room, are you ready for THIS?

(Thanks to Uncle Nick for the IHS Senior Class shades.)

Happy 18-month birthday, our wonderful girl!