sleepover

Andy and I reached and survived yet another milestone earlier this week - the first official friend sleepover.
Sure we've had kids spend the night before - Rylan has crashed here on occasion, Evan has come to visit, Baby Sam and Emmett have come down from Chicago. But this time, it was Addie's partner in all things princess-y, Elise (and her adorable baby bro, Liam).
Elise's parents ran away to Southern Florida for some much need and well-earned rest and relaxation. And being that Genna has helped me out a thousand different times since moving to Cincinnati, and I need a little practice on mothering more than one kid at a time before the next one arrives, I told her I'd take the kiddos for Monday and Tuesday.

For the most part it was smooth sailing. Just about every toy in the house was played with, banana bread was baked, popcorn popped and a princess movie was enjoyed. The girls played in Addie's room, the basement and outside on the swing set. We watched massive thunderstorms roll through and read a few good books. Liam hung out babbling, stacking blocks, racing cars and snuggling a long ago forgotten stuffed piggy, which is now officially his.

There was some girl drama, as there always is when you put two princess together in the same castle, but over all it was fine. Fine, with the exception of bedtime. The girls had been read to, tucked in and kissed goodnight by 8:45 p.m. About a half hour after bedtime, when I walked to the bottom of the stairs to warn them to settle down I heard the urgent, hushed whisper of of "Shhhh! Here she comes!". At 10:30 p.m. there were still peals of laughter, the thud of small feet, and the sound of voices conspiring who knows what. Then silence - sweet silence.
Before I plopped into bed, six minutes after the silence started, I checked in on the cherubs. Elise was sleeping like an angel with her hands folded below her chin. Addie was passed out half on, half off her bed like a college student after a bender. I went to bed solid in my knowledge that the next morning I would have two little ladies who were tired and would sleep in.

I was wrong.

Both girls were bright eyed and bushy tailed at 7:10 a.m. full of questions and ideas and demands. I am pretty sure I just grunted at them until after my first cup of coffee. After Liam woke up and after breakfast was inhaled we headed outside to get a few new pictures of the little angels. I was impressed what sleep deprived, slightly cranky kids could pull off for the camera. . .

For the record, I stayed in bed this morning until well after 9 a.m.