natalie's first day of school

the countdown on the board in the office:

every day we would change the number. natalie started to help me at the end. here's her "zero" that she wrote this morning (she turned it into what she called a smiley face):

posing for pictures outside before we left for school:

her bookbag:

she picked it out at the disney store

it's almost as big as her!

the hug -- can you tell this is SO forced??

my little girl is growing up *sniff sniff*