It was a big day at home today: I just said goodbye to my extra hour of sleep. School has started after two weeks of ‘spring break’. It was timely as I’ve been really tired with work and sleeping beyond 6 am really helps me recharge and get through another busy day. But today, it’s back to waking up at 5:30 am to get everything ready and done before Pristine’s school bus picks her up at 7:00 am.

Speaking of school buses, I used to remember the first time she got on a school bus here in Dubai. She just turned three when we arrived in January 2007 and we put her to school in February because she’s used to be around children with age while in Japan and keeping her inside the house with her stay-at-home dad was too much (for her and for the dad haha).

She used to look so little like this three years ago.

Pristine wearing her first uniform from her first school in Dubai

As much as she wanted to go to school and love it there, the school bus was a nightmare. First, she wasn’t used to going by bus as we took her to the daycare center everyday when we were still living in Japan. She would cry when the bus appears on the road bend and hide behind me, grabbing my trousers, crumpling my clothes with her strong little hands. I would carry her and ‘hand’ her over to the bus assistant and she would be screaming inside the bus!

That was just heartbreaking. We could not bring her to school by ourselves because we didn’t have a car that time.

When she comes back (by bus again) at noon time, she would be ok and smiling and talking about her new found friends in school – telling it like the morning agony didn’t happen at all. M would bring her over near my office and the three of us would eat lunch together in the nearby local cafeteria. I miss those days.

This morning, her bus came again but unlike 3 years ago, Pristine was ready and enthusiastic, eagerly waiting for it rather than grabbing my butt and holding on to my trousers for dear life. Instead, she gave me a huge hug and wet kisses of goodbye, got on the bus, put her seatbelt on by herself (despite the presence of the bus assistant who helps the children do that). She smiled, waved at me and blew me a kiss as the bus pulled away.

She’s getting so confident, ready to face the world every morning without a trace of fear. Mommy needs to catch up.