As a child, the first day back to school was exciting. I loved to learn and reunite with my friends. As a mom, a different set of emotions seems to accompany this day for me. To say that I am “mournful” wouldn’t be too far from the truth. Rather than being 1 day older than she was yesterday, it seems that my baby has grown a year over night. And while I’m glad that Ariana is excited for this day, I’ll count the hours until I can go pick her up and bring her back to the safety of the nest.