What a difference a year makes!

Today was Dalton and Bailey's first day of school for this year.  We got them almost a year ago.  We met them for the first time last week and we celebrated by running down to Galveston for a quick vacation.  It was really too much for them, but they held up well.  I forget that they are 6 and 7 and they can't go non-stop and do all the things my "college-boy" attitude dreams up.  But, it was fun.

One thing I have discovered being a foster/adoptive parent that I think is different from a birth parent.  I never got to see them grow from babies.  They've always been these little people....but not babies.  I can totally tell the difference in my niece, Mackenzie, because I've watched her grow from birth.  She doesn't look the same today as she did when she was born.....or when she was two.....or even four.

With my kids, I don't get to see that.  It's not a bad thing....I just missed that part.  I see them every day and I don't really notice the changes on a daily basis.  I'm sure every parent has those thoughts and feelings.  But I don't have a reference point.  I don't have a "remember when they were so small...." story.

Until today I think.  I took pictures of them the first day of school last year (2 days after they came to live with us).  I made them make the same poses.  Tonight I compared the poses.  It took my breath away. 

Dalton is so long and lankey.  He looks like he's gone from 4 years old to 10 years old.  Bailey looks like a little adult.  And honestly, that look has happened in the last few days I think.  They both have come so far so fast. 

By the way - today was hard.  It wasn't sad or emotional because it was the first day of school.  It was hard.  Bailey had a great first day.  We're concerned that her lack of....umm...."time management" is going to get her in some behavioral situations in 1st grade.  So far, so good.  She seems to be pretty proud to be a 1st grader.

Dalton, we're not so much concerned about his behavior.  But, something clicked in his subconcious today and he did not react well tonight.  Let's just say, he's got some consequences and restrictions for a day or so.  It's been so long since he's thrown a fit, I learned how much bigger and stronger he's gotten over the last couple of months.  But, tomorrow is a new day!