A Uninvited Visitor Will Come Tonight

As I pulled into the circular marked drive behind three big orange school buses to pick Gabby up from kindergarten today, I had no idea that I was about to experience that moment when I could actually envision her graduating, moving away, getting married and having babies of her own. That moment when I would truly know that no matter how many birthdays go by and I tell her "ok, that's enough now, you can stop at 5, just stop growing please, thank you, I love you" she'll go on to have another and another and another.

I no sooner dashed across the crosswalk, in between the two buses, scooped her up in my arms and began walking back to the truck when she beamed with a different kind of twinkle in her eye, "Mommy, today was a really special day for me at school..." I thought she was going to say she was the 'milk helper' with her best friend Rosie (major deal) or line leader yet again for being such a good example for the other kids! I was not expecting nor can I yet accept the real reason for her pride:



...but I'll accept it, take it with all the rest, just like Polly changing from calling Anabella "Bea Bea" to a very grown-up and pronounced "BEL-LA" emphasis on the "LL"s, just like I have to accept that Polly figured out how to escape her cribby--and all this in the last week...just like I have to accept that Bella will soon grow out of her Disney princess phase much the same as Gabby and graduate to more sophisticated things like digital cameras and make-ups...just like I have to accept that my little Bubbyman would rather help his daddy go to the "daddy store" than make cookies with me.

And tooth fairy? If you're listening, fine, you can come, but I've got my eye on you lady...and please if you would pass along a message to Santa that he's not off the hook for at LEAST another 10 years. Or so.