Movin' on up

Owen graduated from pre-school last night. I was on the verge of tears the whole time. The ceremony was full of silly songs that the kids sang at the top of their lungs and it was so absolutely perfect I had to laugh and then bite my lip so the tears would not start. I just kept looking at him, wondering how 4 years could have passed this quickly, how he could have grown up into this utterly adorable boy sitting in front of me. But there he was, all 4 years of him, all grown-up, all Owen. It was one of those moments, the very best kind.

Owen will be starting pre-school again in August, my boy misses the kindergarten deadline by two days. But he will be leaving the comfort of Miss Holly and his friends and the routine he has known for the last 2 years and it will be hard for him. And for me. He is so mature in so many ways and so 4 in others. We have waffled back and forth about what to do with him next year. Private kindergarten? Home school? Pre-school? We have finally settled on the latter. And I feel a little relieved. I love my Owen. He is hard and exhausting and throws one mean tantrum, but in the end, we are friends. We understand each other. He knows just what to say to let me know life will be ok, that I will be ok. And if I am being mature enough I can usually do the same for him. We have a bond, this boy and I, and another year of him all to myself seems kind of, well, great. So I will fight the urge to continue waffling and just be grateful to mother nature that I have another year of that sweet little face, telling me he loves me fifty times a day (between tanturms, that is).