Yet Another Sign She's Growing Up

As if loosing her first tooth this week wasn't enough, K had her very first sleepover party Saturday night. Now I remember these fondly as I look back on my childhood. Playing with other people's toys and getting to sleep in a sleeping bag was just so much fun. We stayed up late, ate junk food, and came home in a foul temper, pumped up on sugar and with no rest. Oh, but it was fun.

When K got the invitation, I was very hesitant to let her go. But she begged and pleaded and said she really wanted to, day after day after day. I took this as a sign that she wasn't afraid to do it. So many questions came to my mind as I pondered what to do: what if she had an accident at night? What if she ate something she wasn't supposed to? What if she got scared and wanted to come home? I talked to S about it. I talked to the birthday girl's Mama about it. I talked to several other Mamas about it. And then I talked to God about it. After much consideration, I let her go.

Oh, friends, it was hard. I drove her to the party, took a tour of the house, got all the info I could possibly need and knew that she would be in good hands (not my hands but good enough ones). I had to leave a list with all the things K is allergic to and what to do should she have a reaction to anything, including medications and their proper dosages. I hugged her good-bye five or twenty times before we left. I'm glad S was there or I would have been a puddle. I had a knot in my stomach until about 10:00 PM, when I was pretty sure there wasn't going to be a phone call that she was scared and wanted to come home.

When I picked her up yesterday, I was so happy to wrap my arms around her. Oh, how I'd missed her! She had a fantastic time. Birthday Girl's Mama said K was a huge helper and was very well-behaved as were all the girls (nine 6- and 7-year-olds).

K's first question for me? "When can I have a sleepover at our house?"

I don't think this Mama is ready for that just yet.