Ten minutes in the morning

We had a little extra time again today. Thinking I'd take a short stroll with her to the porch to wait for her school bus, we left the house ten minutes earlier.

In an effort to allay her separation anxiety during these first few tender weeks of school, I try to bring her down slightly earlier if time permits. In this way, I don't have to rush her small steps. We could walk at a leisure pace, and at the same time enjoy the morning and each others company.

A cool breeze was blowing by that morning. As we walked hand in hand down the walkway admiring bright orange and yellow flowers planted by the sides, I listened to her making observatory comments all along.
"The flowers are so nice!"
"Ooh! The wind is so cold!"
"Mommy, look at the clouds!"
Such was my chatty little girl, who in the midst of those comments, suddenly exclaimed that she forgot to eat her strawberry sweet last night. I laughed, because unknown to her I had already eaten it.

In no time, we arrived at the porch. I sat onto the wooden bench and she promptly climbed onto my lap. Together, we sat there pointing out at the birds and colours around us.

We spotted green parrot-looking birds perched onto a tree, counted the numbers of noisy mynahs hopping and squawking on the road, and laughed at them when one attempted to peck at a plastic bag. We matched orange flowers with the colour of the barricades, green grass with plastic casing covers, and before long, her familiar yellow bus was spotted pulling into the driveway.

She pointed excitedly at it, exclaiming "Oh, my schoolbus is here! See you tonight, Mommy." With a hug, a kiss on her cheek and without so much of a fuss, she boarded the bus. I waved at her until the tail lights disappeared from my sight.

Such a difference from the beginning weeks ago, when she'd bawl and cling onto me at the arrival of her bus. Then a week later, she progressed to tearing slightly and reluctantly boarding the bus. Last week, she gave me tentative goodbye waves and it was only recently that she managed to say 'bye Mommy' before the bus drove off. It is a joy seeing her progress as the weeks go by and I am glad she's enjoying school.

And as I rush off getting ready for work, I realise that there's a smile on my face too. Those extra ten minutes in the morning? I guess they start off my day as well.  :)