When we moved back in to our house a couple of months ago I got rid of bags and bags of toys, mostly Barbies and dolls. I have been a bit sentimental lately about the kids growing up. I really didn't need to know that her My Life Doll that she just HAD to have was in there. Or the Barbies. Or her princess tiaras. Or her My Little Pony collection. Nope. Don't tell me.
I was promised I would miss having to constantly comb that dumb dolls hair, or put it in pigtails. Or sing that "Hot Dog Song".
And sooner than I could imagine, everyone told me it would happen, and look it's happening.
Here I am about to send my soon-to-be 10 year old off to camp for the first time.
Don't even bring up the fact that she is also leaving Elementary school for the Intermediate.
DON'T. YOU. DARE.
Listen, I realize people send their much younger kids off to camp all the time, but ya'll this is the first time I am letting her go off to camp. The first time, like, ever.
Honestly? I'm a wreck.
She has earned this and deserves this no matter how much I want to selfishly deny her the privilege. She is a straight A student and in the GT program. She is the best big sister I could of ever asked for. She is most responsible kid on this planet. She, more than the others, deserves this much needed get-away.
Now, I realize most kids these days have been going to camp since they were school age. In fact, one of her classmates is on her 3rd summer camp this summer. But to us, this is a big deal. For me this is huge. Secretly, I want nothing more that to cancel and make her stay home. As if somehow that would make her stay little and stay my baby. Somehow...
I remember when she was a toddler, it was all about Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Goodness, how many times did we have to dance (and sing!) the Hot Dog dance?
Then we were livin' #thatpageantlife for a long time. This girl had major personality (and a crazy smile!ha!) We traveled and traveled so she could do pageants and in every pageant she placed either 1st or 2nd. Man, we were proud of our real-life princess.
Then there was the actual Princess stage. Everything had to be Princesses for her 3rd birthday party: the outfit, the cake, every-single present. I even special ordered an adult princess costume and my cousin dressed up as Cinderalla, because CINDERELLA HAD TO BE THERE, OKAY!
But, just as I'm typing this I am sure God is having a good laugh at me; the girl who started a blog to document all the funny, stressful, craziness of raising her daughter. Now, that same girl is writing about freaking out about sending that same daughter off to camp as if she were going off to college!
What the heck?!
#getittogetherroxielong
This is a big deal for Rilyn. But probably even more so for me. As a mom, this is definitely one of those times when I can hear the flipping of the pages as one chapter is closed and another is opened. I will have to remind myself to enjoy every single bit of this new chapter right down to her asking my 100 times if she can shave her legs yet. I will have to remind myself that this chapter, too will pass quickly and I will miss it. And before I know it I'll be looking back at a picture of her and think, "aww... she was so little....look at my almost ten year old!"
But, in the meantime, I'll quit crying over how stinkin' cute she was with her missing front teeth and go dig around in her baby box and find an old bib with her name on it and beg her to wear it just one more time while we watch an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
