My big girl (sigh...)

Steve normally takes Ella to school and I pick her up in the afternoon, but I took her in this morning. In the car on the way there she said to me "Mommy, when we get to school, can I go in the classroom by myself?" I said "what do you mean 'by yourself' - without me?"

She said "yes. I can go in myself and hang up my backpack all by myself." I said "oh sure, you can do that, I'll just walk in right behind you." She said "but I don't need you to - XX, XX, and XX - just come in by themselves every day. Their moms and dads say goodbye to them in the hall and they come in all by themselves."

I don't know why but this seems like quite a big step. On the few days I drop her off,  I like to take her in, get her all squared away, talk to her teachers, give her hugs and kisses, etc...so this seemed a little too "grown up" to me.  I said "well how about I let you go in first, with your backpack, hang your backpack up and then I'll come in behind you just to make sure you're all squared away?" She said, in an appeasing way, "Okay, yes, but I WILL be all squared away."

When we got to school she did just like she said she wanted - she put her backpack on her back, opened the door with a flourish and walked in like she was making a grand entrance. The window on the door is a mirror so I can see in but she can't see out. I let the door close so she did the whole thing by herself and I walked in while she was hanging up her backpack. I thought she might be annoyed that I appeared, but she was fine while I talked to her teacher and gave me lots of hugs and kisses goodbye.

So, all's well that ends well...but oh my goodness, she's only 4 - how can she be getting too cool for her good ol' mommy??