Together (barely) through the hugging, decorating, and 50,000 photos… but as soon as I got into the car, I lost it. Like full-on, ugly cry all the way home. Because I knew. I knew that moment was a line in the sand—before and after.

Fast forward to now, and the plot twist? I’m back in the emotional trenches. Aaliyah is graduating college. Aubrey is graduating high school and leaving the state. And Brooklyn, my little Monkey Feet, will be the last one left at home. So this Mother’s Day, I sat down with all three of my girls for a no-filter, full-feels conversation about what it’s like to grow up, leave home, and navigate all the messy in-betweens.

If you're a mom who's ever cried in a Target parking lot because your kid won’t need you to pack their lunch anymore—this one’s for you.

Aaliyah said it best—“Home isn’t a place anymore, it’s the people you surround yourself with.” Sure, she was excited to be on her own, to have her freedom. But what surprised her was how quickly the homesickness set in. “I can’t just go into your room after a nightmare anymore. I had to figure it all out by myself.”

And she did—eventually. But not without growing pains.

"One thing I didn’t know how to do? Handle conflict on my own. Mom, you were always my backup plan." — Aaliyah Cisneros

Oof. Right in the mom-heart.

It hit me that maybe I stepped in too often. Maybe I was so set on protecting her that I didn’t give her space to fail forward. But that’s what this season is all about, isn’t it? The terrifying trust fall of motherhood.

Tune in for more.