Exceeding Expectations

Over the years, Brady has continued to surprise me and exceed my expectations of how he will handle a certain situation.  For example, giving up his paci or transitioning to a big boy bed, both things I Dreaded, with a capital D, but those transitions both went crazy well with not even a bump in the road.  Brady starting school was another transition I was DREADING.  When Blake was in school last year and we would bring up that fact he'd get to go there next year!  It was so great!  Aren't you excited Brady?!  His reply would always be "No, I'll just stay with momma."  He would barely even look up at Blake's teachers when they said hello to him, like if he did they would make him stay there or something.  One thing Brady has really lacked is confidence.  He relies on mom or dad or brother to be his security blanket in all situations.  All of this had me pretty worried with how he would handle school.  He has pretty much never been away from me without family there with him.  He's only had one sitter one time in his life that was not family and it was even someone he knew.  So, the idea of leaving him alone all day surrounded by people he didn't know made me what?  Yes, dreading the situation.  Brad was smart and started talking up the idea of school at the very beginning of summer.  Really, he started talking it up last school year.  At the beginning of the summer Brady stated he was not going to school.  He was pretty adamant about that fact.  I was so worried.  But here's the thing about Brady...  this summer has been "The Summer of Brady".  He managed to do swim lessons brilliantly (something I did not think would go over well), he started talking to people he didn't know (something he never did before), and it seemed his confidence started to bloom.  Still, I just didn't know how he would handle school.  The last few weeks of summer he did start to say he was excited about school, but how would he actually handle drop off?  How would he handle when the time came for mom and dad to say goodbye and LEAVE HIM?  I was still dreading it.  Brad came up with the idea that he would take Brady on the first day without me.  I agreed it was probably for the best.  Brady would be less inclined maybe to be clingy and I of course would be less emotional not having to leave my baby behind, especially if he was screaming bloody murder.  Win, win.  But, as my sweet baby boy has often done in his life, he more than exceeded my expectations.  He once again made me feel foolish for even giving this school business a second thought.  Brady was a little reserved Brad said at drop off, but not a single tear shed.  Not a single hesitation or plea to Brad not to leave him.  When I picked him up after the long day (for me) he came running to me with the biggest smile and greeted me with the biggest hug and told me he had a GREAT day!  He had SO MUCH FUN!  He said, "I wasn't nervous!  I wasn't nervous at all!"  Wow, first of all, he's so cute I can't stand it.  And second of all, when did he grow up?!  I am so crazy proud of him.  And I told him that and his reply was, "I think everyone is proud of me!"  Yup, Bray Bray, everyone is SO proud of you!