Today was a big day. I called it D-Day in my latest podcast episode — the day Mia started daycare. After 15 months at home with my baby, today was the first weekday during which I wasn’t her primary caregiver.

I talked on the podcast all about the mixed feelings I’ve been experiencing related to this day: excitement, anticipation, sadness, guilt…you know, the usual emotions that most moms cycle through on a daily basis. I’ve been looking forward to and counting down until this day for months now, but when the time actually came, so did the tears.

Saying goodbye to Mia on her first day of “school” was not easy. I’m so thankful that my mom takes and picks up the kids on most days, so she had the not-so-fun job of leaving Mia in her new classroom for the very first time. Better her than me, though; I call her my velcro baby because sometimes I literally have to peel her off of me.

Mia cried at drop-off, but not as much as expected. Her teachers sent photos of her playing and eating, and she actually napped! It wasn’t the best day ever for her, but it could have been a whole lot worse. I’ll take it.

It really did feel like the beginning of a new chapter for me today — a very strange and foreign one that didn’t include toting around a baby, cramming hours worth of work into one naptime, or rushing home to relieve the babysitter staying with Mia while I taught a class. Between several work-related appointments, a mountain of emails, and meetings with my team, the day flew by and was over before I knew it.

From here on out, my Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are devoted to work while both kids are at school. I’m going to miss my one-on-one time with Mia, but I’m thrilled to have had 15 months of it up until now. I have a very good feeling about this new chapter, and I think it will be wonderful for BOTH of us.