First the lasts and last the firsts..

Regular readers of this blog will know that Missy Woo, my little girl, is due to start school in September. That's, like, next month, right?!

Over the last few weeks, we've had a few lasts occur. First, I had my final "Frantic Friday" where I dashed from school run to coffee morning to lunch to music group to school and thence to swimming lessons. That's one last I won't be sad to see the back of! On the same day, Missy Woo went to her last music group. She'd been going since she was a baby with Monkey who went from 7 months. I was sad, because I'd been going with one or both of them for nearly 5 years. It felt like the end of an era and we said goodbye to Sue, the lady that runs the groups brilliantly.

Soon after, came two lasts that I will not miss, not one bit. First, the last ever nursery bill. I love the nursery that they have attended but not the cost. We paid to use a year-round nursery when I was still working and by the time I took redundancy last April, it was really too late to change. Monkey was a few months off starting school and Missy Woo loves the place so much that I know she would have had serious words with me if I'd moved her. Anyway, no more. I've paid my last bill and now we are free of that expense.

Next, I had my last nursery/school run. One day a week, I had to take Missy Woo to nursery and Monkey to school. I did it that way round to force me to get out early as Monkey had to be there for 9am but my back up was I would take Monkey to school first. I'm proud to say I never had to and Monkey was never late but oh boy, the stress. Nursery is 3 miles away in one direction and school 1.5 miles in the other, so nearly 5 miles apart. Such mornings could be interesting, if shouting at children to do as they are told to brush teeth/put coats on/get in car seats counts as interesting.

Then, on Friday, another last. Missy Woo's last ever party at nursery. The leavers' party. There was a magician, played party games and ate party food. Missy Woo had a ball and I got a child-free morning for nowt, being as Monkey was on a holiday football course.

During the morning, I suddenly noticed the date. 6th August. Realisation hit me like a slap in the face. In precisely one month, Missy Woo would be having her first day at school. Well, actually, it's a morning. Her first full day will be two weeks later but that is when she starts and we, as a family, will mark the occasion.

Between now and then, we have a couple more lasts, like last day at nursery. However, the lasts aren't what it is all about; after the lasts, come the firsts. Once she's started at school, the firsts will come thick and fast throughout the first term and the rest of the academic year.

Ready for school

I know lots of mums get sad about this point in their child's life, particularly their youngest, and I'm sure I will feel strange as things change. Nursery has been part of our family for over 3 years, the carers have been fab and the children have had a ball there. But, for now, I'm choosing to look at it in the same way that Missy Woo is - with big excitement for the new phase in her life. She wants to go to school with her big brother, be in class with the same teachers as Monkey had last year, make new friends - and play with a few old ones. She loves the uniform, she has school shoes, and a Hannah Montana bag for school that she adores (see right for Madame modelling some A/W 2010 trends). When she went in for a settling in afternoon, she told me to go as soon as I got in the classroom!

So, as the cliche goes, as one door closes, another opens. She doesn't realise it but my funny, clever little Missy Woo has the world at her feet and I know she will meet the challenge of school with relish - she will sail through those lasts and onto the firsts without batting an eyelid. I know what lies ahead for her and I am excited for her.

That just leaves me to sort out what I'm going to do next with my life. Easy!