This is dedicated to mothers and fathers who have walked this path before

Mrs. Uhura Spock sat quietly and glanced at the contents on the dressing table she had lovingly inherited from her grandmother. It held the items that would help to usher forth a new world, a new beginning, loving memories and wonderment for her family.

Touching each item as if it held the secret to the love and history of a family, a country, a world, no, two worlds united she thought, sorrowfully, I am not ready. but then recanted those feelings. "No, I must be ready. I must be brave. I am so very proud right now!" she whispered to her heart so it wouldn't hurt so badly.

The sharp toothed comb that she has had for as long as she could remember sat to the far left. Old and marred, with teeth missing at the handle was still useful and comfortable to her hand. Like an old pair of jeans or her husband's used federation t-shirt, it fit, so it stayed even though her husband felt it illogical when one could be requisitioned easily. "No, my mother used it on my hair. I want to use it on my daughter's hair." she lovingly explained to him six years ago when she was pregnant with their child.

Moving her fingers past the comb, she lightly touched the next item, its bristles new and strong, as she thought of a memory from four or so years ago, one that made her smile. "One must have a good strong hair brush to lay the edges down." she explained to Grandpa Sarek as he watched her comb his granddaughter's hair outside on the front porch of his home. "Most fascinating" was all he would utter. Nyota stopped and handed the brush and the child to him and watched him gently brush her hair until she squirmed for him to stop and climbed higher on his lap, nestled in and quickly went to sleep, thumb in mouth.

The next item on the mirrored table was a shiny bottle that was hard to come by. Its contents shipped all the way from Earth, was as valuable as water in this dry New Vulcan. Tea tree oil, the bottle read as she placed the lid back on. Amanda Jade's hair was very long, like her mother's but the texture was slightly curlier, like Nyota's father and the dry air didn't suit it one bit.

Mrs. Spock laughed as she remembers trying to teach her husband to oil their little girl's scalp after she had washed her hair. God love him he tried, she chuckled, remembering how he couldn't quite get started. Being a scientist, he could not be "okay" with uneven distribution of the hair oil so Nyota rescued the little girl from, what could have been, hours of computations by her father. "It's okay, honey, you be in charge of getting her dressed in the mornings," she said to him, kissing him on the forehead and taking the Tea tree oil out of his hands.

A black box full of treasures lay stacked neatly beside the comb, brush and oil. Amanda Jade loved this box. As she got older, she would pull out its contents and when Spock would allow it, she would place the gems and barrettes in his hair and repeat, "Pretty daddy" over and over again. Clapping her chubby little hands until Starfleet duty or bed time forced the treasures back inside.

Even now, at the age of five, with a language level well into her preteens by Earth's standards, she still communicated the same meaning when he gave in to her. "Father, you are especially pleasing today. Would you like some more tea?" she would inquire in fluent Vulcan as they sat and drank tea around a small table with her stuffed animals. They would converse for hours about science, scary Klingons and what she wanted to be when she grew up, while Nyota cooked dinner

Nyota sat, lost in her memories until a gentle hand touched her face. "I identify with your hesitations but we cannot be but supportive at this juncture in her life" a stoic voice whispered softly behind her.

"Come, my wife" Spock said, helping a very pregnant Nyota up from the bench that matched the dressing table. "She is in slumber and I wish to look upon her one more time. Everything will be different tomorrow." he uttered quietly as he opened her bedroom door.

"Amanda Jade stated to me, after her meditation and nighttime prayer, that the design of her hair was appealing to her. She thought it illogical to worry about such things but after reviewing the end results, she was most content." he whispered placing his hand on the small of his wife's back

"Yes, her hair did turn out pretty and I am very happy that she likes it." Noyta replied and thought of the hours it took to do the braids and then wrap it up in a headscarf so it would continue to look good tomorrow. Moving closer to the child's bed, Nyota bent down with great difficulty and kissed her on the head. "Goodnight, my beautiful little girl." she sang and watched as Spock did the same.

They quickly walked out of the sweet little room and returned to the antique bench. Spock left and came back quickly with a small uniform. It was silver with a mirrored Science Academy logo attached. "I have ironed her ceremonial dress, is it sufficient…" but his question remained unanswered. His wife's face was hot with quiet tears.

Spock laid the garment down on the bed and went quickly to his Nyota. "Nyota? Nyota look at me." He spoke softly. "She will be superior. This is not a hypothesis, this is truth. She is her mother's daughter is she not?" His face was taut but his eyes betrayed him, he was just as emotional as she.

Nyota placed one hand on his face and one on her swollen belly and replied, "I know, but I didn't think that sending her to Kindergarten would be so hard." she whispered, smiling through the tears as he leaned his head into her lovely brown hand.

.com/watch?v=dh8o8LZQbC4 (play this)

Bob Carlisle - Butterfly Kisses

My Jade starts Kindergarten tomorrow and my older daughter starts high school. "Proud tears" Big thanks to jtjaforever for planting the seed for this one-shot from a picture of my daughter on my FanFic page