The Big Sleepover

Saturday was rainy, cold, and miserable. I know, I know. . . "April showers bring May flowers", and we did need the rain. I just wish it wasn't so cold (bitch, bitch, bitch!). Anyway, the kids had ballet, and now they know what they will be in the recital. The girls will be princesses, and the boys (all three of them) will be knights. Yes, the knights get to "slay" a dragon (some unsuspecting older dance student in a dragon suit). Clara is thrilled - "Princess" should be her middle name. And Corwin is so excited - his godfather has his Master's in Arthurian Legend, and his PhD in Mediaeval Studies. He is a professor of Mediaeval Literature, and even has a leather suit of armor that Corwin got to try on. However, Corwin just tells people that his godfather is a knight! Now he can be just like "Uncle Gerhard".


After ballet, we went to the first birthday party of the littlest offroader. She was covered in cake and having a great time. We arrived late (due to ballet), but at least she got to open her present before she headed off for her nap. Corwin had insisted that she needed the popcorn roller - again, I apologize for the incessant POP-POP-POP that you are about to experience, Amazon and Mr Slamuri! After we returned home, Daddy took Clara and Corwin to the store to get a few small camping articles that Corwin needs to go on the Camporee weekend with the Beavers. Their last stop was Rogers Video, where they each chose a movie to rent.

Fast forward to movietime. Still raining, kids post-bath and in pajamas. Clara announces that she wants to sleep in her sleeping bag. I say no, because the outside material is slippery, and she'll slide right off the bed. I suggest that she can cuddle up in the sleeping bag to watch the movie before bed, and this news is enthusiastically received. Of course, I bring Corwin's sleeping bag up, too. Get them set up - Clara on the chair/ottoman and Corwin on the couch. I also produce Jiffy Pop, which I saw in the grocery store a few weeks ago and thought they would get a kick out of. It just seemed like the perfect night for it. We all gather around the stove, with my husband asking "what is that? No really, what is that?" The gas burner is on, and I'm shaking, and shaking, and shaking. . . the kids are getting bored, Corwin is wondering if this takes "two hundred hours" before it pops. Their interest is waning, they start to disperse then suddenly. . . POP!!! POP. . . POP. . . POP-POP-POP!!! Squealing with excitement, they gather 'round, the husband's doubts proven wrong ("this isn't gonna work"). Finally, the popping subsides, and I mentally have my fingers crossed (please don't let it be burnt, please don't let it be burnt), and we pop the foil with a fork. Woo hoo - perfect popcorn. The oohs and aahs from the kids are too funny - it's like I did something magic! They each get their bowl of popcorn and settle into their sleeping bags to watch Mighty Machines (Corwin's pick - Clara's Barbie Mermaidia will have to wait until another day).

Finally the movie is done (did I really need to know that much about commercial airplanes?). Clara announces - again - that she wants to sleep in her sleeping bag. Fine, if she sleeps on the floor. Corwin, too (of course). Then: "Let's have a sleepover in my room, Corwin! It will be just like camping!" Okay. But there are rules. No fighting. Any fighting and you're back in your own bed, no more sleeping bag. And it's time to sleep - you can whisper for a few minutes, but it's getting late, so you need to go to sleep. Agreed? Agreed.

So I put a big comforter down on the carpet (a little extra padding is always welcome) and got them snuggled in with their pillows, sleeping bags and blankies. Pushed the on button on Twilight Turtle so they could sleep under the "stars", and kissed everyone goodnight. We heard a little noise about a half hour later, and checked on them. Corwin had gotten up, gone to the bathroom, and climbed back into his sleeping bag. They were both a bit hot, so I turned the ceiling fan on low. Checked on them about a half hour later - they were still whispering - but once the Twilight Turtle went off, they were out. And slept until 7:30, very excited about their first "sleepover"! They're already planning the next one for Corwin's room next weekend.