"I'm all growned up now."

I was just sorting through a box of clothes that a friend is letting us borrow, and came across the cutest matching outfit. The skort has cherries on it, with a matching white polo shirt and short-sleeved cardigan. I showed it to Katie and said, "Isn't this so cute? You can wear it on the first day of Kindergarten!" She agreed it was cute and I told her she'll look so beautiful for school. Her response? "Yes! I'm all growned up now."

Yes, baby, you are! I remember when you were just learning to roll over and then crawl. I watched other kids (in our mommy's club) who were six months or a year older than you, and couldn't imagine that you would ever hit the milestones they were hitting. And then I saw those same kids go off to school, and thought it would be a lifetime until you followed in their footsteps.

And now... we're approaching that starting line. It's just two months away. Oh, sweetheart! You are all growned up! Every day you amaze me. I'm sure you've caught me staring at you often lately, wondering where this little lady came from. Over the past year, I've been so caught in trying to keep my head above water after the arrival of your brother, and I didn't see you slip out of your preschooler skin into the body and mind of a Kindergartener. You've officially arrived, haven't you? All "growned up" into your big self. And I am so in love with you!