The upside to the dreaded drop-off

Today was the best day, yet, in our little Mommy-goes-away experiment since Hollis has been melting down.  I read him a few books on a yoga mat, pointed out other kids saying goodbye to their mommies (happily, I might add), and asked him to walk me to my shoes and help me put them on.  He gave me a big hug and kiss and started to whimper as I walked away, but as soon as I was out of sight I could hear nothing but children happily squealing and their bare feet slapping the cork floors.
The receptionist had seen me hover by the front door before listening to his wails, but this time she chuckled and said, "Of course he's great on the last day!"  Good thing for us we go back for Round 2 soon.

And something I hadn't really expected out of all of this heart-ringing woefulness at drop-off: the sheer joy and exuberance of pick-up.  I mean, WOW.  Wowwowwowwowwow.

Usually, Mama is every day.  Boring.  Staid.  Always there.  No big deal.  It's Daddy who gets the sprint and leap into his arms.  It's Papa and Mimi who get dragged all over the house being told about all the goings on from that day.  It's ReeRee (that'd be Sheree) who gets the kisses and toddler arms wrapped around a thigh.  It's basically everyone who comes and goes who gets to be the cherry on the sundae.  Mama is just the boring ol' banana.

But not anymore!!  Oh. My. Gawd!!  I'm special!  I mean, really, really special!!  

It's happened every day I've picked him up and every day I get excited thinking about it.  The door to the yoga studio opens quietly and unnoticed.  The children are playing with balloons, doing crafts, reading books, generally running amok in some sort of organized chaos and then one of them notices the door is open and a mommy is there!  A dozen little faces search for their own mommy and then my precious little face sees me and he blazes a trail to me, his face split into a grin from ear to ear and he nearly knocks me off my feet as I wrap my arms around him.

Sheer freaking bliss, I tell you.  BLISS!!

Sigh... I am still high from the baby lovin'.  Seriously.  Amazing. 

I feel like I got this mommy gig in another big way these past few days.  Man... how lucky am I?? 

 Peace out, yoga camp!