The Goodbye Middle School Bus Stop Kiss (or lackthereof)

"A child's kiss is magic. Why else would they be so stingy with them." - Harvey Fierstein

On the first day of school, my oldest child, Presley, missed the bus to the middle school. I felt so bad for her. It was her first day of middle school and you could tell it killed her juju a bit. Don't get me wrong. My complete hatred of mornings has resulted in many missed busses for my kids over the years; just never on the first day.

She recovered quickly, as children typically do, and had a great first day.

I broke the rules of being a cool middle school mom, though, and on the second day of school I walked to the bus stop with her to make sure there were no issues. There were two other parents in their cars, but I was the only one bold enough to stand in the designated driveway and wait for the yellow bus to come barreling down the road.

As it came to a stop the kids formed their little line to get on, and my daughter turned and walked away.

But wait. Where was my kiss? She forgot to kiss me! As she got on the bus she turned and waved to me. She didn't notice I was trying my best to hold back tears of heartbreak and disappointment. She always kisses me! She isn't too grown up to hold my hand as we walk around the local amusement park. She tells me she loves me around her friends. So why all of a sudden do I not get a kiss before school?!?!

When she got home I teased her and asked her if she is suddenly too cool to kiss her mom at the bus stop and she just laughed.

This morning we were running around and she asked me to walk her to the bus again. I was very surprised and didn't feel much like going down there. My pregnant body has been pretty sore and I still had my pajamas on. However, I am never going to pass up on my "big girl" still wanting to be my "little girl" so I slipped on my flip flops and headed out the door.

Again I was the only mom down there. I told her she didn't have to stand with me and could go over with the other 10 or so children, but she was content hanging out with her mom, even if I did have pjs on!

As the bus pulled up, totally on her own, my beautiful daughter turned and kissed me good bye! Right in front of the other kids at the stop, right in front of the kids already on the bus. Then she hugged me and walked away.

I am so blessed I can't even begin to express it! It wasn't just a kiss. She was trying to make a statement to me by having me walk her to the stop and kiss me. She didn't need me to walk her the 100 yards to the stop. I would have been happy with the kiss goodbye at the front door. At only 10, though, she understood that her little public display of affection would tell me "I love you" louder and clearer than any note, text message or sky writing ever could!

A blog entry dedicated to her can't begin to compare with what she gave me this morning, but I hope I show her in enough other ways how much I love her and what she means to me!