Big Girl

The day before Kindergarten classes started, I gave my little munchkin free reign of our itinerary. 

Me:  What should we do today?

Olivia: It's too nice to stay inside, mama! I want to go play in the playground!

And so we did. Under the bright sun and clear blue skies, I played with my little girl...

Cheering her on as she slid down with hands in the air.

See-sawed and laughed with her.

When Daddy came home for lunch, we took her to Marble Slab Creamery and let her have her ice cream in a cone for the first time ever.

 Afterwards, she requested to pick fresh raspberries to pack for her lunch the next day. 

And when she jumped into my arms and wrapped her legs around me as I helped her out of the car, I cried.

I cried because the next day she would officially be a big girl...

 Going to big girl school

and 

not needing her mommy as much.

She was eager to start on her "What I did last weekend" coloring project, deciding to draw and color a scene with her on a boat on the lake. She gave me a tight squeeze and turned to the work at hand as I side-stepped to the door, reluctant to let my baby girl out of my sight.

 It seems like it was just yesterday that she just started to crawl.