I Never Thought This Day Would Come.

You know how it is when you have kids? You never want them to grow up, right? You never want them to get bigger? You want them to always need your cuddles?

But when the end of an era comes to pass, you have no choice but to quit kidding yourself that you can keep them as the innocent beings you brought into this world and you suddenly realise they are growing up, whether you want them to or not.

I already passed this stage once, with The Boy. For some reason, it didn’t seem so bad the first time around. And The Boy has definitely shot forward. I mean, he’s now 15 and bringing home girlfriends (AAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHH!!!!! *deep breaths*). But maybe the reason I didn’t panic was because I still had the Mini-Me to cling my hopes to.

Not any longer.

You see, the Mini-Me has officially left Junior school* on Wednesday 25^th July 2012 (see below pics of her last day to prove it)…

Check out the defaced shirts O_o

Oh, yeah, and in case you’re wondering, Mini-Me is the one whose face I haven’t blobbed on O_o

Yep, a few of the parents pitched together and booked out kidlets a limo ride to celebrate this momentous occasion. Of course, I headed off to a school-mum-friend’s house whilst the limo drove around for an hour, where said friend fed me French beer (I needed it. What? It was VERY hot last Wednesday O_O)

Oh, and note the Mini-Me has already switched up her school footwear for plimsolls? *grin* That’s my girl.

And ending on a pic of their ride. The dude driving it smiled the entire time (obviously has more patience than I do ):

… This means she’ll officially be starting Senior school in September (AAAARRRRRRGGGHHH!!!).

It also means she is absolutely most definitely growing up.

And I’m not sure I’m ready for her to.

She is.

I’m not.

I want her to stay young, and innocent (okay, maybe she ain’t so innocent cos she can be cheeky) and naïve forever. And I’m now coming to understand … I mean, fully understand … that I just ain’t gonna get my way.

Any other parent’s out there go through this kinda crisis? How (the hell) am I supposed to deal with this (s**t)?

*In the UK, we have Infant & Junior—often combined in one school attended ’til age 11—and Senior (as of this year, up to age 16, if no college/job/apprentice to leave for, and up to age 18, if none of those mentioned have been obtained).