Where do I sign up to be a part of the "Those Moms" club?

"My baby, my bay-bee!" That's all I could think as I rolled around on the living room floor sobbing. What the h3ll has happened to me??? I NEVER thought I'd be one of those moms. The more ridiculous I thought I was being, the tighter my throat got and the more the hot tears spilled out onto my cheeks. The first day of Kindergarten...it's been coming for 5 years. She's gone to daycare and preschool on and off for those 5 years. Why is this so different??? I have my theories but can't pinpoint one exactly as the culprit. Is it that our life will need to be more structured? Or that the teaching staff won't cater to her like they would in a preschool? Maybe that she has to carry her own lunch tray and open her milk? Could it be that it's not the little, Christian daycare we picked? Or she's not downstairs from her dad or across campus from me anymore? Maybe that we're on track to those years where her friends and what they say will be more important than her mom and dad? As I type this one, the cry-ball in the back of my throat gets bigger, it could be that the years will just fly by now--being a blur of different backpacks, extracurricular activities, and new friends. In a matter of moments, she'll be out of the house leaving me with only her school knicknacks, award certificates and those goofey school pictures (that kids can't help but have as their giant adult teeth are growing in) to comfort me. Women with kids, just wait. It's one big friggin' day no matter how tough you think you are.

Here's the unemotional overview:
Beatle was nervous leading up to this morning. She woke up like a champ though and was ready to go. I wouldn't say she was "excited" but she knew the day was upon us. I made us blueberry muffins but as the morning raced past I realized that even when I allowed for more time on this momentus day, it still wasn't enough. I absolutely hated that we were rushing through this morning. I wanted to avoid that at all costs but Beatle, like her dad, is a little slow-moving and I should have prepared for more time. I quickly French braided the side of her hair and she slipped into her "Indian" dress that has a feather necklace and some new moccasins to compliment--she felt very ethnic and so proud of her new outfit. (She's SO into being 1/16 Creek Indian! In fact, when she tried this dress on at Penney's she was pretending to give autographs to her fellow Kindergarteners because she just knew that they would be so impressed. :) It only helped that when her Grandma was checking out, we saw a girl who had way more Indian blood in her buying the same dress. It sealed the deal!) When it was all said and done, we made it in time(ish) and I got all of the pictures I wanted but it was stressful (but I was just a ball of nerves anyways). She went and sat down in her class with no tears or hesitation. We stuck around for awhile (it was a family affair) but, I'm proud to say I wasn't the last parent to leave and acted really brave in front of Beatle. Now, we wait until 3:40. I'm letting her ride the bus home which BR and my mom aren't exactly supportive of that idea but she really, really wanted to and I thought that on the first day, they are going to make extra sure that the little ones get on the right but and sit at the front. Plus, surely everyone will be on pretty good behavior the first day. (Right???) Lastly, I think Beatle will realize that the bus is hot, stinky and not that much fun right off the bat and she'll be happy to be a car-rider from this point on. That's my logic anyways but my tummy's going to be filled with butterflies until I see her get off that bus!