The "umbilical cord" is officially getting shorter....bitter sweet indeed...

When I blogged that yesterday was the first day of the rest of my life....I didn't realize how true that would be.

This is officially Day 2 of the rest of my life and my day started off not quite as anticipated and planned in our daily family calendar.  I registered my sweet bean in two class's for the next couple of months to help keep her spirit channeled. Monday's class is "Tutus for Twos"(which FYI, there is nothing cuter than a group of ten 2 year olds running around in tutus) and Tuesday's class is called "Creative Minds".  Now going to these classes is nothing new to Anabella and I, we've been doing them since she was 8 weeks old, as much for her learning and enjoyment as it is for my socialization with other Mama's in my community. THANK GOD FOR FELLOW MAMA'S!!!

So the first thing that changed today was that it was the first day I allowed Anabella to pick out and dress herself, and then actually go out in public without changing her into what we wanted her to wear.  Now, when I say I "allowed" her to make this big decision, it was more like she has formed a bizarre bond with a sleeveless summer dress she was given and only wants to wear that every day and it's not worth the fight.  On day one of this new found attachment to a piece of clothing, we allowed her to wear it at home around the house since it's not quite warm enough to wear it outside. However, I've quickly learned that she will gladly wear it over ANY other clothing she has been dressed in by Mama or Daddy.  As long as the dress is on her body, she doesn't care what else is too.  I decided a long time ago to pick and choose my Mama battles and this is one battle that I will let her win because she's 2 and it's a phase that will pass as quickly as it arrived.  I'm confident there will be a day that I wish my beautiful daughter would wear so many layers of mismatches clothes "like she did when she was 2"  instead of the tube top and short shorts she's chosen at age 16. Oh my gawd, she so needs to stay little forever.

The second thing that changed today was that we arrived to class on time and took our seats and then as I was looking around, I realized something was looking very off.  There was a larger ratio of kids to parents and the parents that were in the room were not sitting, they were kissing and hugging their kids and saying "Goodbye, see you soon! Have fun!".  At first, I thought this must be a joke? They couldn't really be leaving their two year olds here? Oh my gawd...yes...they are....this is a kids only class, not a parent participation class like we've always done in the past!

So two new Mama's, both parents to kids in Bella's class, were looking at this first time nervous "Anabellasmama" and quickly realized that the "umbilical cord" between me and my sweet Bella girl was still FIRMLY intact and they quickly jumped into "Mama-support" action!  They invited me to come for tea with them.  Now despite my lame attempt at an argument that Anabella had been my shadow for 9 months of pregnancy and then 2 years on this earth and that she's never even had a babysitter before or EVER been without Rick and I, they pretty much gave me no choice. Turns out they are both Mama's of two kids and they quickly assured me of all the positive that would come from my leaving my BABY little girl, at a class on her own without me and dragged me out the door with some much needed Mama-support on such a big day.

They kicked me in the butt and then held my hand through this BIG step as a Mom and in the process of two hours, our life changed. I made two new amazing Mama friends and I got two hours to myself, a hot tea and real grown up conversation.  I love, love, love, being a Mama but this was MUCH needed and long overdue.

I was a nervous wreck about Anabella being sad. So, to my surprise, when I picked her up SHE SURVIVED WITHOUT ME and she was smiling.  When I walked in, she smiled from ear to ear, ran towards me arms outstretched yelling "Mama, Mama" and when she got to me, she wrapped her little tiny "big girl" arms around me and said, "Mama, I love you" and proudly showed me her art work.

Priceless Moment Alert: Half way through the walk home, my baby sweet girl, turned to me and said, "Mama, that was fun.....I so proud of you." Ohhhhhhhh boy do I have a keeper.....little did she realize how accurate that comment was! She should be proud of me! That was by far, one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my entire life AND one of the best thing's I could ever do for her life combined in one.  My sweet little girl...she has no idea how proud I am of her.  I swear my heart could burst.

The invisible "umbilical cord" is officially a little shorter...not cut...but much shorter....my baby little girl is growing up and we BOTH can survive two hours without each other.

Oh yes, times they are a changin'....