I hear my phone.

Then there’s blurred lines.

Not Robin Thicke’s, but digits. Is that a six? A zero? Maybe a nine?

I grab my glasses from the night stand.

6:20 a.m.

“What the…?” I whisper to myself.

I’m so not getting up yet.  I hit SNOOZE. And fall back to sleep…with my glasses on.

I was supposed to be on a 30-minute jog with my dog by now.

But I hit SNOOZE …a few times.

Holy Shnikies! It’s 6:57 a.m.!!!!!!!

That’s right – the kids have school today!

Wait…THE KIDS HAVE SCHOOL!!!

For the love of Jay Z, the kids have school!

Son of a…Wooooooooopppp, THE KIDS ARE BACK AT SCHOOL!

I run down the hall in my PJs and wake up both kids. My son has slits for eyes, and he yawns that total denial of “OK, mom, I’m up. I’m up.”

I turn on the light and close his door.

My daughter is already awake, making her bed.

I run downstairs and get their lunches ready. My husband promised them cheesy eggs on the first day.

Breakfast? Check.

Lunches? Check.

Backpacks? Check.

Kids dressed themselves? Check.

I snap their picture. My cuties are all set. And I am too, I think.

This glorious day has finally arrived. I took time off from work over the summer, which as any mother knows, means nothing. You never stop working when you’re a mom. I adore my kids, but to be frank, I’ve been playing Julie McCoy all summer. From playdates to pool days, sleep unders to day trips, to Fro Yo and Pink Berry and back, I’m a little….drained.

So, although I enjoyed the summer…

I’ve been secretly counting down the days until school is back in session.

Down to the minute actually.

But for some reason, looking at them at breakfast this morning, I found myself at a loss for words.

My cuties aren’t 4 and 7 anymore. No, no, no.

They are now in the 4^th and 7^th grade.

So I swallowed hard, and snapped their picture.

Then right there, in the middle of the kitchen, it hits me.

MY BABIES! They are almost ready for college!

Before I can reach for the blueberries, I feel a lump in my throat.

My husband looks at me and I know he knows I know what’s about to happen.

He warns them, with his usual spoonful of sarcasm. “Kids, I think mom is about to have a breakdown.”

“What, Dad?”

“She just realized you guys aren’t babies anymore!”

And right there, in my PJs and glasses, the tears start flowing and I plop my face on the counter.

The next thing I know, he snaps this picture of me.

And, here you have it, proof of my back to school break down.