Another Big Step In Growing Up
And this one... this one was seemingly harder on Carie than going off to Kindergarten was. Maybe this is where I mention that Carie didn't shed a tear with the Kindergarten or 1st grade transition. That seemed to be my job.
Both Abby & Ellie were invited to a birthday party. Not just any birthday party, a birthday party and a sleepover. In addition to the fact that they were able to fully read the invitation, it was just going to be absolutely impossible to keep this bit of info from them. They were going to find out and it was best that it came from us.
See... our reactions upon reading the invitation were very much different.
I open the mail, read the invitation, and think "oh shit". I share news with Carie who wanted to cover her ears and ignore what I was telling her. I guess we just weren't ready for this!
A bit later we happily present the invitations to Abby & Ellie. They look them over and begin to read them. They are first way excited that they are invited to Jensyn's birthday party. Then, THEN they get to the part about the sleep over and their faces couldn't have been brighter. They've "always wanted to go to a sleepover". Yeah, just like everything happened when they were 3! They didn't care about the next part that read "Parents - If the child does not want to spend the night, please pick up by 9:30". That part didn't exist to them!
They have never been away from home AND away from us overnight. They've been away from home with us. They've been home overnight without us. But never both at the same time. Never. We've just never had a need to.
We called to RSVP them for the birthday party portion and opted to think about the sleepover portion. We successfully ignored the elephant in the room for about 2 weeks. But we couldn't ignore it forever.
There were some good reasons for concern. Reasons I won’t go into. Then there was the emotional and irrational part (mostly self diagnosed ;) ). All combined with Abby & Ellie's 6yo views and desire to stay for the sleepover portion. I was stuck in the middle. I could really see both sides.
After Carie's really great conversation with Jensyn's mom, we decided to give it a try. Or at least, let Abby & Ellie decide what they want to do. They, of course, decided to give it a try. We knew that was coming.
Sure, I had worries. Sure I really wish this wouldn't have come up yet! But it did and I really feel that this particular scenario was a good one. If we were to hand pick a family to experience our first sleepover with, this family would be one. We aren't "friends" with the family, but we know them. We know them and like them. They have been to Jensyn's house for play dates. Jensyn has been to our house for play dates and a birthday party. The mom seems incredibly nice, really down to earth, really kind and caring, and a great mom. The dad and brother also seem quite nice, but I hear they are going to skedaddle because there will be too many girls in the house. Thirteen girls to be exact. LOL
So I decided that we needed to make their first sleepover very special. We got them their very own sleeping bags. Carie ran all over town yesterday morning looking for just the perfect bags for them. She found a couple of options and not knowing which one they would choose, she picked up two from one store and knew that another store had another option. I would later get that other option if that was of interest to either of them. I actually had envisioned this being a great Christmas item for them but the perfect time seemed to be now.
Carie showed them their new sleeping bags after getting off the bus. To say that they were excited is a huge understatement. Carie showed them their options and just as I had anticipated, Abby showed interest in the other option still at the other store. So I left work early on a mission to pick that up. I arrived home to find them literally bouncing off the walls. They were just so silly, so happy, and so excited.
Carie had their bags all packed and organized. She walked through their bags with each of them. Given that there were going to be 13 girls at this party, we totally limited what we were sending. Still, our arms were overflowing with stuff! I envisioned stuff pulled out of all the bags and strewn everywhere. We walked through various scenarios on what to do when. On the way we quizzed them about all the things we talked about. They did good! At least it made us feel better!
We dropped them off, gave the Mom all of our contact info, and chatted. Spencer was adamant that he was going to the party too. He didn't care that there were so many girls. So Carie & Spencer stayed in the van while I ran them up... in the rain. Jensyn's mom was so caring and understanding! She could totally tell (from the phone conversation) that Carie was having a hard time with this. She asked how Carie was doing! She totally understood and said she had a hard time when her older son (now a 4th grader) went on his first sleepover. She ensured us that she would call... at any time! Perfect.
In all the excitement, trepidation, and chaos getting everything and everyone where they needed to go I didn't get a single picture. I'm bummed.
Then Carie, Spencer and I went out for an evening of fun. It was different being just the three of us. But we had a great evening. Spencer was ready to get Abby & Ellie at the end of the night. Then this morning he wanted to get cereal for them. We reminded him that they were at Jensyn's house and he and I would go get them soon. We then had fun building towers.
I didn't really know what to expect, but I wouldn't have at all been surprised if we got a call at some point. We had our home phone and both of our cell phones on our nightstand just in case. Nothing, nadda, no call. Wow!
Spencer and I went to get them this morning so they could go to their swimming lessons. All the kids were supposed to be picked up by 11. We picked them up at about 9:30 and most of the kids were still there. We went to swimming lessons that started at 10 and then stopped back over to Jensyn's house to get the pillows that we had forgotten. Oops! I almost suggested skipping swimming lessons figuring that they would be exhausted. Nope! They were ready to go and did great. They have to crash at some point, right?
They both had a great time and they both are up for doing it again. Jensyn's mom was very happy to have them and very complementary. She said they could come over any time. I love that they are so easy to be around, so kind and polite. We knew about 8-9 of the other girls that were there and I'd totally not say that about a couple of them! I appreciate all her comments, but in reality we only have a part to play in who they are. Both Abby & Ellie's personalities are just wired in a way that makes it easier for us as parents.
Bottom line, sleepover was a success.
Both Abby & Ellie were invited to a birthday party. Not just any birthday party, a birthday party and a sleepover. In addition to the fact that they were able to fully read the invitation, it was just going to be absolutely impossible to keep this bit of info from them. They were going to find out and it was best that it came from us.
See... our reactions upon reading the invitation were very much different.
I open the mail, read the invitation, and think "oh shit". I share news with Carie who wanted to cover her ears and ignore what I was telling her. I guess we just weren't ready for this!
A bit later we happily present the invitations to Abby & Ellie. They look them over and begin to read them. They are first way excited that they are invited to Jensyn's birthday party. Then, THEN they get to the part about the sleep over and their faces couldn't have been brighter. They've "always wanted to go to a sleepover". Yeah, just like everything happened when they were 3! They didn't care about the next part that read "Parents - If the child does not want to spend the night, please pick up by 9:30". That part didn't exist to them!
They have never been away from home AND away from us overnight. They've been away from home with us. They've been home overnight without us. But never both at the same time. Never. We've just never had a need to.
We called to RSVP them for the birthday party portion and opted to think about the sleepover portion. We successfully ignored the elephant in the room for about 2 weeks. But we couldn't ignore it forever.
There were some good reasons for concern. Reasons I won’t go into. Then there was the emotional and irrational part (mostly self diagnosed ;) ). All combined with Abby & Ellie's 6yo views and desire to stay for the sleepover portion. I was stuck in the middle. I could really see both sides.
After Carie's really great conversation with Jensyn's mom, we decided to give it a try. Or at least, let Abby & Ellie decide what they want to do. They, of course, decided to give it a try. We knew that was coming.
Sure, I had worries. Sure I really wish this wouldn't have come up yet! But it did and I really feel that this particular scenario was a good one. If we were to hand pick a family to experience our first sleepover with, this family would be one. We aren't "friends" with the family, but we know them. We know them and like them. They have been to Jensyn's house for play dates. Jensyn has been to our house for play dates and a birthday party. The mom seems incredibly nice, really down to earth, really kind and caring, and a great mom. The dad and brother also seem quite nice, but I hear they are going to skedaddle because there will be too many girls in the house. Thirteen girls to be exact. LOL
So I decided that we needed to make their first sleepover very special. We got them their very own sleeping bags. Carie ran all over town yesterday morning looking for just the perfect bags for them. She found a couple of options and not knowing which one they would choose, she picked up two from one store and knew that another store had another option. I would later get that other option if that was of interest to either of them. I actually had envisioned this being a great Christmas item for them but the perfect time seemed to be now.
Carie showed them their new sleeping bags after getting off the bus. To say that they were excited is a huge understatement. Carie showed them their options and just as I had anticipated, Abby showed interest in the other option still at the other store. So I left work early on a mission to pick that up. I arrived home to find them literally bouncing off the walls. They were just so silly, so happy, and so excited.
Carie had their bags all packed and organized. She walked through their bags with each of them. Given that there were going to be 13 girls at this party, we totally limited what we were sending. Still, our arms were overflowing with stuff! I envisioned stuff pulled out of all the bags and strewn everywhere. We walked through various scenarios on what to do when. On the way we quizzed them about all the things we talked about. They did good! At least it made us feel better!
We dropped them off, gave the Mom all of our contact info, and chatted. Spencer was adamant that he was going to the party too. He didn't care that there were so many girls. So Carie & Spencer stayed in the van while I ran them up... in the rain. Jensyn's mom was so caring and understanding! She could totally tell (from the phone conversation) that Carie was having a hard time with this. She asked how Carie was doing! She totally understood and said she had a hard time when her older son (now a 4th grader) went on his first sleepover. She ensured us that she would call... at any time! Perfect.
In all the excitement, trepidation, and chaos getting everything and everyone where they needed to go I didn't get a single picture. I'm bummed.
Then Carie, Spencer and I went out for an evening of fun. It was different being just the three of us. But we had a great evening. Spencer was ready to get Abby & Ellie at the end of the night. Then this morning he wanted to get cereal for them. We reminded him that they were at Jensyn's house and he and I would go get them soon. We then had fun building towers.
I didn't really know what to expect, but I wouldn't have at all been surprised if we got a call at some point. We had our home phone and both of our cell phones on our nightstand just in case. Nothing, nadda, no call. Wow!
Spencer and I went to get them this morning so they could go to their swimming lessons. All the kids were supposed to be picked up by 11. We picked them up at about 9:30 and most of the kids were still there. We went to swimming lessons that started at 10 and then stopped back over to Jensyn's house to get the pillows that we had forgotten. Oops! I almost suggested skipping swimming lessons figuring that they would be exhausted. Nope! They were ready to go and did great. They have to crash at some point, right?
They both had a great time and they both are up for doing it again. Jensyn's mom was very happy to have them and very complementary. She said they could come over any time. I love that they are so easy to be around, so kind and polite. We knew about 8-9 of the other girls that were there and I'd totally not say that about a couple of them! I appreciate all her comments, but in reality we only have a part to play in who they are. Both Abby & Ellie's personalities are just wired in a way that makes it easier for us as parents.
Bottom line, sleepover was a success.
posted by Sonya at 11:59 AM
4 Comments:
Congrats on a great sleepover. I hope someday I can say my son is wired so he's easy for us, yeah sure, not going to happen.
Wow! That sounds like a big, big deal and so exciting for the girls. Glad it went so well!
so...the real question is...did they sleep at all?
congrats that it went so well. Harris has spent the night out at friends' houses a few times. but really only very close family friends. Toby will have his first sleepover this weekend at our very close friends' house. hope they are willing to let him climb into bed with them! LOL!
way to go on the sleepover girls and mamas, the first one is always hard.
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