Last play date with the LeF family.

Remember these photos?

M, A, Elsie, and EO (2010)

E and A making the Guiness Book of World Records as part of the Great Cloth Diaper Change of 2011

A and E (2011)

A and E, twins! (2011)

At the apple orchard (2011)

Park Date (2012)

First ballet class ( 2013)

Elsie the Parrot, A the Rainbow Fairy, Mama the Wizard (per Elsie's request), Sylvie the Giraffe, and J the Peacock (2014).

These photos are special, as they document a lifetime (literally!) of friendship between two little girls, A and Elsie.  Born a month apart, they knew each other before they could hold up their own heads.

These girls have literally grown up together, sharing blankets and toys (and germs) and little sisters and snacks and tears....and now the saga is ending.  In three days, A and her family are moving across the country, and Elsie will be losing one of her very best friends.

And of course, as these things go, it also means that I will be losing one of my very best friends.  You can't ignore the bonds that form between first-time mothers as they navigate the dangerous and confusing road of parenthood together.  From leaking cloth diaper solutions to food allergy elimination diets to non-sleeping troubles, we have shared it all, and relied on each other, and found our friendship utterly and completely necessary.  I am going to miss dear M terribly.

Elsie and I have had a few months to get used to the idea of Madison without the LeF family, but now that the moment of departure is almost upon us, I find that I am ill prepared to say good-bye myself, much less to shelter and guide Elsie through the separation.

Instead, we pretended that nothing is going to change.  We shared one last play date today where A and Elsie laughed and fought like sisters, and the little ones ("number twos"), Sylvie and J, happily tagged along and began to realize that they are big kids now, too.  When it was time to go, Sylvie cried out, "But I wuv my J fwiend!  Come back, J!" and Elsie cried, "But we'll see them again, right?  Why are they moving?  Can't they just stay here?"

So, without answers, I did my best to document the obvious joy of the girls as they played together on this day, what may be their last time together.  And I am grieving that I won't get to see A and Elsie, Sylvie and J's friendships blossom with age, and I am grieving that I am losing a dear friend, and a cornerstone of my mothering foundation.

And now that night has fallen and the girls are asleep, I am finally letting myself explore the great cavern that was formed as I gave them hugs for the last time.  I am so utterly thankful for the amazing five years that we have had, and especially for this last beautiful day together.  I have a feeling that the echoes of the laughter shared today will stay with me for many, many years to come.