My baby left me (sort of)

Ah, the first day of school: new notebooks, new teachers, old friends...parental trauma?! When my older son started Kindergarten, we prepared him diligently. We discussed every aspect of what would happen during his day, sure that we had done everything possible to make his experience enjoyable. All was well until the bus pulled up. Did we forget to mention the huge, loud, orange vehicle that would whisk you away to your adventure? Oops! He promptly sat in the middle of the street and declared that he absolutely wasn't going. (Of course he did go, but we had to strongly talk him into it.) Fast forward to his little brother (LB for short), 3 years younger. LB had been trying to sneak onto the bus for YEARS. He was so determined to go to school that the kindly bus driver felt sympathetic and almost let him come! Again, we praised the wonders of Kindergarten, focusing on how much fun he would have, blah blah blah. Although I was not going to be taken off guard this time, I really wasn't expecting any drama from my youngest. So we trooped to the bus stop and took the obligatory photos of our freshly-scrubbed, excited youngsters. The bus pulled up. Big Brother put his arm protectively around Little Brother and said, "C'mon, buddy, let's go!" They climbed the stairs, the doors closed, and away they went. Wait just a minute! They're gone? That's it? Speechless, I stared at the back of the bus as it chugged down the street, my mouth hanging open in shock. No hug? No backward glance? No "bye Mom, see you later?" I wasn't sad before about both of my children joining the elementary crowd, but now I'm devastated! However...my neighbor had invited some other temporarily- childless moms over for "Mimosas and Muffins" after the kids left for the day. Nothing like a little champagne and sugar to cheer you up! And when they came home, both boys leapt off the bus with ENORMOUS hugs for Mom. Once again proving, "All's well that ends well."