Sleepover Under the Christmas Tree
December 7
It was clear that I was missed while during my adventure in Memphis. At one point the six-year-old Laney said that it was ‘unacceptable’ for me to be away so long. Yeah, that one has promise as communicator, a writer or a boss.
Four-year-old Chloe worried in August that Mamie would not be home in time for the second annual sleep over under the Christmas Tree. It’s mind boggling that Chloe would have a long range concern. In my experience high school freshmen were fuzzy about where to put their name on their papers. Every Facetime session ended with the reassurance that the sleepover under the Christmas tree would be epic.
Laney questioned the guest list. Would two-year-old Benjamin be included? What about their cousin Gavin, our official Christmas baby? Gavin is a very skeptical. It sounded too wild and too risky. If his two-year-old sister Shea could come he might consider it. He said this as if he was going to check with his legal department for approval. In the end it was moot, because Meredith didn’t want to risk a midnight pickup for crying toddler. Laney and Chloe were disappointed but happily included their 2-year-old brother, Benjamin.
The menu and activities were Santa-like, the list made and checked twice.
The last hurdle for the start of the Second Annual Sleep Over Under the Christmas Tree was accomplished by their quiet behavior at the 5:30 Mass. Jubilantly, the girls announce the event to Father Paul. This man of God actually laid hands on my head in blessing for my chancy venture.
The pj-ed tikes lined up on the sofa under the Christmas throw to watch the Grinch, Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (my pick) and Troll’s Holiday. I served ice cream, ice cream with chocolate chips and marshmallows with chocolate chips. At the annual SUCT (great acronym) Mamie is the short order cook. Second round of treats included two orders of marshmallows with chocolate chips, one straight marshmallows and three apples juices, boxed with the wings up.
Craft time followed. Chloe, the future builder created some decent looking flowers out of coffee filters, dyed with food coloring.
Game time! An all table encompassing game of Match ensued. This is now two and half hours beyond Benjamin’s bedtime. He was elated to be included. Laney advised me to help him play.
Then the magic moment – inflating the air mattress. They lined up and stared with eyes growing large along with the mattress. No doubt they saw a trampoline, Mamie nixed that vision right away. Pillows, blankets, and feet, all pointing in different directions they settled in. I took the sofa.
Benjamin grinned and flopped left, flopped right, flopped up, flopped down before getting comfortable. By 12:30 everyone was asleep. Dreaming of the marshmallows and chocolate chips that Mamie would serve for breakfast.
SUCT 2017 was complete.
A few pictures from our adventure.
