My eldest child, Alicia, is full of life. She is loud, showy, jumpy, clever, funny, independent and always needs to be the centre of attention. She is definitely the most demanding of the three Neilson babies. Since she turned three I have felt that she was ready for school and, I am a little ashamed to admit, that I was ready for her to go to school too! I thought that I would be one of those Mums who happily wave their child off at the gate, ready to enjoy a day with the younger kids, but now that the start date is just around the corner I think that I am going to be an emotional blubbering wreck. I’m really going to miss her!

Preparations are going well; the uniform has been purchased, shiny black school shoes are in their box ready to put on, labels have been ironed on, or stuck to, everything (try www.mynamelabel.com ), new pants and socks are ready to go, we have read books about starting school – Alicia is ready… but I am not sure that I am! Embarrassingly I even cried in the shoe shop – I was so proud. The shop assistant assured me that I wasn’t the first Mum to dissolve into floods of tears but I still felt like an idiot!

One week to go and I am making the most of the time with my special girl. Last week we went to the zoo and swimming, this week I plan to just have fun with Alicia before she embarks on this new stage of her life.

Alicia proudly showing off her shiny new school shoes