I’m winding up the preschool days.

Three more weeks and my 9 years as a preschool parent (minus one somewhere in the middle) will come to an end.

For the most part, I’m happy about this milestone. No more middle of the day preschool pickup. No more artwork overload. No more farm trips and trike-a-thons. No more vacations that don’t overlap and long afternoons with “nothing to do” and “no one to play with.”

But it’s also a bit sad. No more time for lazy last minute trips to the zoo. No more lunches just the two of us. No more chatting with the other mothers at midday pickup or lengthy afternoon play dates.

Yesterday was the “Mother’s Lunch” at Jonah’s preschool. It’s a rite of passage for the 4-year-old classes. The kids help make the lunch, decorate the room and escort their mothers to the table. This year they learned a special song for the mothers, and as soon as we sat down together, Jonah sang it to me all by himself. He looked so sweet and earnest. This is how it went:

Mommy, Mommy you know that I love you
You’re my mommy nobody else will do
Oh Mommy when we’re together, we have the best time ever
Oh mommy it is true, I do love you.
Nobody else will do.

You know what? I might just miss him next year.