the sweetest

The sweetest sight in the world is your four year giggling and jumping up and down for joy on the morning of her first day of pre-k.

I was so proud of her this morning. She picked out her outfit (and 'cessories of course) and helped me pack her backpack.

But over breakfast she told me she was nervous and excited. And that little cleft chen wobbled two or three times when she was eating breakfast,those eyes filled with tears.

She checked and rechecked with me as to which hand was her kissing hand.

And she said she was worried she'd miss me.

And even though she was smiling she was wringing her hands. Look in the 1st and 3rd photos. See? Wringing.

This mama was (secretly) a little bit nervous. 

The sweetest sound in the world is when your daughter gets back in the car saying she had the BEST FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL EVER. And that she made four new friends. And that she can't wait to go back. And that she wishes she could go back RIGHT NOW.

That's my girl.But man...that chin. Makes my heart hurt every time. It will always be that way, won't it? Yep.

And tomorrow I sent my biggest off to first grade.

Oh, my heart.

Comments

[Sara Amuso]

SOooooo cute! She looks far from the devilish wild child that made you so crazy when she was young! Glad she had a great first day! Look forward to Harper's first day...so exciting you get 1:2 quality time with the twins! Enjoy!

[JillT]

So sweet! Hugs to mama. . .

[Ruth]

She looks so pretty!

[anne washington]

So pretty and growing so quick. Glad she had a wonderful first day. Hard to believe I send Matty off tomorrow to third grade. It was yesterday that a smiling seven month old came crawling up to me to be held. Thursday is Joey's first day of Kindergarten. A full day. Gulp. He is excited. I am not so much. Gulp.

By the way happy belated birthday! It was such a great day for my Andy as well.

[Jennifer]

She looks so cute and happy.
Glad all went well for everyone and I'm sure tomorrow will be just fine as well x

[Mommabean]

Just precious! She looks so very big.

[KarenP (kphike)]

She's beautiful :) Such fun memories and yes, it will always be that way...my youngest started HS today and we both got a little quivery...(and he'd be mortified if he knew I posted that :) ) So happy you are loving New England!

[Alison]

So absolutely precious! She dresses as pretty as her mama (just an observation from the few pics you've posted...)

[SherryG]

That Sadie gets me everytime. She's an imp that I would loved to have taught when I was a preschool teacher.

[Debbie]

Very sweet and so happy she had a great first day! I hope Harper's first day goes as well!! Such beautiful girls inside and out.

[Stephanie Baxter]

Lovely, sweet girl! She is too adorable for words...I can definitely see these precious photos making their way on to a beautiful layout of yours soon!!

[Stephanie Baxter]

P.S. In that second picture...how much do her and Jimmy look alike?!?!?!

[Alissa]

I need to tell you the pic of her and J made a tear(s) come to my eyes. I am so happy that he was at home for this milestone!!!

[Michele M]

Awww.... Oh how we miss Sadie!! Bailey asked me to have you please give Sadie a big squishy hug from her!!! :)

[SusanB]

Oh how sweet! You will always feel that way ~ we brought our youngest to college on Sunday and she is a bit homesick. We dropped off our oldest (living off campus in Newport) today. Our house is very quiet but we know that they are right where they need to be. Good luck tomorrow!

[Kim Boken]

Awww..I remember the first days of school for both my girls!! So proud, but I was the one who needed the reassurance..not them!

[diana]

So sweet ... love the 'cessories. What a great start for the year. ;-)

[Christine Campbell]

HUGE CONGRATS SADIE!!!! She looks so cute!! So happy she had a great day!!!

[Brenda]

A mama's heart will always feel that way! Mine hurt this year as I sent my 2 oldest off to college (one for his third year and one for his first) and tomorrow my baby starts middle school and she's a bundle of nerves (so of course so am I!) Enjoy these days and as I always try to remind myself it will all work out and they'll adjust much faster/better than I will!

[Laura]

She looks beautiful and stylish and so little. So glad she had a good first day! Go, Sadie! :)

[Michelle]

My middle started her freshman year this year. That is hard. I know these last four years are going to go in a blink of an eye. She is my baby girl. My baby boy starts kindy tomorrow. He has watched his much older sister and all the homework she has had and doesn't want to go. He asked me to hide him in a closet today, so he didn't have to go. He is so little and so nervous about going. The long day worries me. Back in the day, my girls' went to half day kindy. Just lot of things about sending him to school makes me apprehensive. So very different from 20 yrs ago when my oldest went.

I am so glad Miss Sadie had a wonderful day. She looks so darn cute all dressed up!!! I know Miss Harper will shine tomorrow too!!! Hope they both have a wonderful year!

[Kristen S]

Adorable ! She did a mighty fine job picking out an outfit. Love the pearls!

[clippergirl]

Gosh Steph, what a beautiful young lady she's turning out o be....love the pearls....so sweet and so "ashion".....I know how you feel, I just sent my eldest son to his first day of High School, I had to try really hard, for his sake....to not look nervous. I had butterflies in my stomach and a restless night, letting go is so very hard.....glad to hear she Loves pre-k......awesomeness!

[Ki Kruk]

oh my goodness Steph, she looks so grown up in those pictures. I would have been a melted mush on the floor at the site of her chin wobbling. Bless her precious little heart! Her outfit and accessories are stunning - great job Sadie! So happy you had an AWESOME first day!! xo

[Erin R.]

Oh my goodness. She looks so sweet. I love the hair cut and the headband. So glad that her first day was such a positive experience.

[tara pollard pakosta]

her chin TOTALLY gets me, poor little sweetie!
but look how confident she is in her daddy's arms!
soooo excited for her! how I wish my girls were still 4 years old stephanie!
it goes way tooooooo FAST!
tara

[Bessie Segal]

Sadie looks just gorgeous and ready to tackle her first day at nursery school...apart from the wee wobble!

Brave girl & brave mummy!

I'm glad it all went well; I'm sure everything always will with that little girl.

[Miriam Prantner]

So adorable, I LOVE the pearls! Our oldest went to Kindergarten today, so we dealt with kind of the same thing. She LOVED it though. What an amazing day!

[Wendy G.]

I had one of those bittersweet mornings too. My son told me "I'm nervous for my first day of first grade". He wanted to wear his "nice" clothes so he could "make a good first impression (because you only have one chance to make a first impression)". This is his first time going all day to school. I worked half a day in the school, then drove home without him for the first time. My heart hurt, but when I picked him up later, he had an AMAZING day. How is it that they can do so well without us? Makes me very proud to be a parent...

[Pat Cloud]

Roots and wings - hard concept - but that is what we have to do. She is so beautiful - loved her choices for today and her hair!

[Becky]

That first picture makes her look so grownup and not such a little girl. She is absolutely beautiful. I'm so glad she had a wonderful first day

[jennifer Camplin]

s w e e t.

Have a super school year, S!!

[Peggy]

Oh my gosh, she looks so different, I didn't recognize her. She's all grown up! at pre-k - ha. How adorable, she is. But she is growing into a little girl now - its so fun to see. Enjoy.

[laura g.]

very sweet! she will love looking at these pictures when she is older...sigh...and HOW is DAD holding up???

[Alison]

Happy new school year to all the Harper girls (momma included). And Miss Sadie in those pearls...too much! Glad her school started out just right and hope Harper has a fabulous day tomorrow. And yay that Jimmie is home for it all.

[TanyA]

Just sent my youngest to pre-school this week. I came home and cried for an hour! After 3 kids you'd think I'd get the hang of it but nope, it never gets easier....

[caz hancock]

so glad she enjoyed her first day, she sure is growing up :)

[Kimber-Leigh]

I'm so glad that she had such a great first day. And I think that the combination of excitement mixed with a little bit of nerves (and the missing Mama part) is as it should be. :) But my favorite part is the kissing hand part. Oh, so very precious.

[Rachel W]

What sweet pictures!! That one of her and Jimmy is just precious!!

[Linda]

It never ends. Sending them off to college is the worst. I was the one wringing my hands.

[Trish]

Oh Stephanie, this post brings back such memories of my own little girls' first days of school. And now I am doing some handwringing of my own as my daughters send my grandchildren off for their first days of school. I am so happy for your sweet family that your move and all the new experiences are embraced with such zeal. Life is good...

[ginny]

Good job, mama! She looks so cute(you have 2'ashion girls) The photo with Jimmy is priceless. I'm sure Harper will have a wonderful first day too! I'm always impressed with how your girls are so confident. What are you going to do all day with only 1/2 of a houseful of little girls?

[Jessica B]

aww...so glad to hear she loved it. and she's the most adorable pre-k girl ever...those pearls and that dress :-)

[k8]

She looks soooo grown up! I have so enjoyed watching her grow up...that little nut reminds me so much of my younger daughter....it's the joy of seeing her growning up again, sort of......what in the Jose?

k8

[Freckled Fawn]

oh she is so sweet!

[Linnea]

Oh, so precious! Love that picture with her daddy. What a big girl already! I hope she's never afraid to admit that she's both excited and nervous, and that she remembers each day Who gives her the strength to do big things, even if that big thing is "just" pre-k. Go, Sadie!

[Bea Monforte]

So cute! Your girls are growing so fast. I loved this post.
(hugs to mummy)
xoxo, Bea

[Gayle W.]

I am usually able to keep a pretty stiff upper lip when I read your heartfelt posts, but for some reason this one ... THIS ONE ... has made tears stream down my face. Sigh. This is so sweet. Sadie - oh my word. Such a sweet girl. Wringing hands, trembling chin and she ALSO is worried she might miss her mama. I'm in a puddle. How could you stand it?! So happy she had such a wonderful first day. She looks SO grown up in these photos! xoxo
p.s. Hope Harper's first day is just as wonderful!

[Serene]

How adorable is she?!?! I'm happy she had a great first day but happier that J was there for it. Come Friday my son is a high school sophomore. Geez, when did that happen? Ack!!!

[sam]

She is so stinkin' cute.