Today is my daughter's first day at Grade 1. It's been a VERY LONG holiday and now that it's finally over I am extremely relieved. My daughter has had her shiny new school shoes, new socks and school uniform ready for about a month now and was beside herself with excitement today when she awoke. Mommy here woke up earlier than she did at 5.15am! It was a combination of being unable to sleep and excitement. What the HELL!? Anyway. Last night I had prepared the uniform which was laid out neatly next to her bed. I'd packed her school bag with lunch goodies etc and I had also pre-laid out the table for our four course breakfast. Yes, I am NOTHING if not obsessive and prepared – haha.

So the day dawned – well in fact it didn't, as I said I was up WAY before sunrise. It was quite beautiful actually to look out at the pre-dawn sky and be awake before the first bird chirped. I had a leisurely shower and when I came out was greeted by my tousle haired, half asleep princess. We went into the lounge and she exclaimed at the set table saying: "Mommy are you doing all this for me 'cos you're so excited!?" So we sat down to eat our cereal, toast, boiled eggs and juice. Yes I AM Super-Mom! Then it was time to get dressed in new school uniform. OH my God – she looked SO grown up, I got teary eyed.

We left the house at 7:05 (hysterical I know, especially seeing as the school is a mere 5 minute drive away from home!) Got to the school to find many more hysterical people – NO parking and a million parents and kids milling around taking photos and videos of their darlings. MAYHEM! Eventually walked her to her class and was met by her lovely teacher Miss Peddie. She was given a name tag and her little bag with stationery etc and told to sit at a desk and colour in a picture. I then had to wait for her dad who was on his way to do his well-wishing. Waited for days (ok about 15 minutes) till he eventually arrived. We went back into the classroom and took more happy snaps. She was sitting quite happily at her desk colouring and chattering away to two friends she knows from Grade R. I left a happy and proud mom. My baby is growing up so fast!