We've had guests. I find that my parenting takes a back seat when I have guests.
Firstly, they were from Scotland so my liver needs rehab.
Secondly, they have teenagers - the six year old is still in a daze of awe.
Thirdly, they go back to high school days so my head is stuffed full of memories.
Most of which involve huge 80's hair and ex-boyfriends.
It's hard to be a responsible parent when you are transported back to teenage years yourself. My accent re-surged so strongly that the baby kept giving me confused looks and the six year old asked for constant translation.
We spent so much time talking about TV shows from our childhood that we there was smoke coming from the laptop as we 'YouTubed' each one to show snippets to the six year old.
I barely ate a vegetable all weekend and the kids were fed on the run the entire time.
It's character building right?
I stuck to some of my principles. Much to the teenagers chagrin we didn't allow the TV to be turned on until the kids were in bed. There was a high incidence of drive thru's but we brought alternatives for our kids. The candy count was high but I still successfully diverted with organic ice cream.
On the last night we planned a big dinner and purchased an unfeasible amount of wine.
I bathed the kids and tucked them up after a story.
We opened our first bottle while cooking. Our tongues got loose. We started competition storytelling from our youth.
By the time we were on dessert we were in full adult only conversation.
Far too late and far too many glasses (bottles?) later we crawled up to bed. The six year old's door was open - hmmmm.
There in the hall, which is open to the living room, was a little blanket and pillow.
Hmmmm.
In the morning, bleary eyed and with a thumping sore head, I asked the six year old about the little camp in the hallway.
"Oh yes - that was me. I stayed up to listen to you all night."
Groan.
"What did you hear us talking about Sweetie?"
A huge grin breaks across the six year old's face as she confirms the power of her knowledge.
"Oh everything."
I will need a bigger wallet for what this will cost me..........
This summer has been a nonstop party for Sweetpea, with ice cream becoming a staple of her diet. The back to school transition will be brutal. And I hear you on the "regression" when with childhood friends. I haven't used "eh" so much in 15 years as I have in the last two weeks.
ReplyDeleteAnd Six's knowing grin reminds me SO much of my sister and I creeping head first down the stairs to watch/listen to my parents' wild parties when I was a kid.....
ReplyDeleteHi! Stopping by from SITS roll call to visit.
ReplyDeleteOh I so loved this post. Reminiscing about the past is so good for the soul. Sounds like a good time was had by all. It's good to get away from the routine sometimes.
Hmmmm. I'm going to have to take her out to lunch and press her for details that might be useful later...
ReplyDelete