The First Sleepover

She'd had a few of them before, but those sleepovers didn't count. Those sleepovers were held after our huge Midsummer Party and we were all up until 3 AM (and the kids woke the next morning at 7, but that is another story.) 


In any case, last weekend Bub begged and begged to have a real sleepover with her friend from school, and we said yes. 

I know, let's call funny numbers! Oh, Mrs. Wood...

The friend arrived. Friend brought a huge bag of Beanie Balls (fuzzy balls made to look like animals,) her American Girl Doll, books, papers, and oh yes - pjs and a toothbrush. 


The girls had mini pizza bagels for dinner. We made cupcakes and they spread on the icing and the sprinkles. They ate three of the cupcakes, each. They wrote books about their Beanie Balls on the paper and we all played Apples to Apples, which is the greatest game in the world to play with your kids.


I suddenly realized it was way past everyone's bedtime. I'm a responsible adult, but I suggested roasting marshmallows instead of getting some rack. We grabbed a bag and sticks and headed out to the gas firepit. The girls managed to avoid serious burns. We all ate charred marshmallows, although I couldn't convince Bub that the black part is the yummy part, and you don't have to throw it away. No, she would carefully peel it off, toss it somewhere - one landed in my lap - and then she ate the rest. I'm not certain why she bothered to roast them at all.

We hustled them up to bed. I gave the girls ten minutes to read; when I came back to turn off the light, they gave each other The Look. Sure enough, when Hub and I went down to clean up and put away Beanie Balls, Apples, and Marshmallows, we heard the whispering and giggling start.


They slept, finally, and woke at 7. That must be the regulation time to get up on a sleep over. Bub's more self-sufficient though, now, so she and Friend crept down and made their own breakfast. Probably it was a few more cupcakes, but what do I care? I got to sleep in longer. 


As Friend drove off with her parents, Bub said, "This is the worst time of a sleepover, when they have to leave. Still," she added, "I guess that meant we had a really good time."


Parents retire to the kitchen and the teapot, to high five each other and grab the last of the cupcakes.