2nd Mommy Stress Test for the Weekend 10/27/06…

Snow White has her first ever sleep over at a friend’s house. Early last week an invitation was in Snow White’s back pack to attend a Halloween Sleep Over Party. I looked up the address on Map Quest since we are very new to the area (second part of move was this past Saturday morning). The party would be two streets over. Part of me did not want to let her go since we just moved here but she so wanted to go and I had met the parents our second night here at the school Family Fun Night.

My Sister was here visiting for the weekend. She wanted to see our new house and visit with us. She was a bit disappointed Snow White would not be around Saturday night due to the party but she fully understood the importance of a first sleep over. We went shopping after the movers came and after Man Son’s flight cancellation. She wanted to buy Man Son and Ti Kwan Girl a bed set and new pillows for a house warming. Not the inexpensive bedding I buy on a Mommy budget but something totally top of the line. She is an A-1 Super Auntie! She buys things that matter in every day not some fly by night flash in the pan gifts. Yes, she does buy toys and play gifts but when she does they are thoughtful and last forever.

While we were out shopping we bought Snow White brand new Pjs and bunny slippers. Auntie shopped a little too. She wouldn’t let me buy what she picked out. I tried to buy everything she wanted and all our meals out. She did drive 7 hours one way to visit us, put her “baby” up in a kennel since we have a cat and unpacked two rooms and the kitchen! By Saturday night we found the pots, pans and my china! Yeah! My china was finally found! I still need to find my every day dishes but we do have some glasses now.

We went out to eat for dinner since we had not been to the grocery store and who had time to cook with the Sleep Over that night? It looked like the restaurant was packed. There were many people sitting in the waiting area but they seated us right away. It took a little while for our waiter to come over but well worth the wait. He doted on Snow White and told her what beautiful blue eyes she has. She responded with “ I have hair black as a raven and snow white skin too.” The acknowledging look on his face showed this was not lost on this particular waiter . I then noticed he also had fair skin, blue eyes and black hair. He also seemed to be of the “Black Irish”. I made particular reference to Snow White’s eyes being the exact color of Aunties. The waiter acknowledged this as well. He apologized for not having crayons for Snow White to draw on the child’s menu and scuttled around to find something for her to use. Auntie said there was no need since she had a game to occupy Snow White. It was an alphabet game we use to play when we were children. A my name is Anna, we come from Alabama and we eat Apples (latter it we remembered it was we sell ______) We went through the whole alphabet but could not think of anything to eat that started with the letter “U”. We were very impressed with Snow White’s ability to come up with Names for all the alphabet as well as places. Some times we helped out with places and gave additional input on foods after she named a food. The waiter stopped by several times to make sure Snow White had all she needed, refilled her drink without her asking. When he came again to ask us if we needed anything Snow White and Auntie were just coming back from a visit to the bathroom. I ask the waiter if he knows of any thing you can eat starting with a “U”. He cannot think of anything off hand but says he will try to come back with an answer. He does come back to inform us he has the whole kitchen and staff thinking but nothing coming forth just yet . As the meal comes to an end and we are ready for the check he informs us that no one has come up with an answer at this time but asks that if we do come up with an answer to please pass it on to them. They did as we did, we thought of different names of beans, oriental foods, sea foods, etc. in an attempt to come up with something. My Sister informed the waiter it would be a long wait for her to come back with an answer since she is not a frequent visitor. As we left the restaurant she told me to definitely go back just to see if that HOT waiter came up with an answer.

When we were ordering food Snow White’s Grandparents, Sister & my parents called to say they were on there way to my new house. We thought we had plenty of time and they had a key via meeting up with Man Son on his journey to uncle’s house. Apparently, Man Son gave them the extra key to his car which they made a copy for him but he forgot to give his Grandparents the second of the two keys I gave him for the new house. They were sitting in their van in my driveway for about half an hour!

We rushed into the house, my Sister gave my parents the grand tour of the house while I gathered things for Snow White’s first sleep over. I dressed her in the Snow White costume she purchased with her own money a few weeks ago. I made sure she had on a turtle neck, pants, long socks and sensible shoes just incase they decided to do a bit of playing outside. My parents and my Sister took photos in front of our new house and then we were all out! My parents did not have dinner yet so they followed us to the Party and then out to the main thru way. My sister and I went in a separate car so we could hit the mall I had yet to explore.

I had Snow White put a piece of paper in the front of her over night bag with my name, her name and my cell phone number. I reminded her the mall was just 5 minutes away and our house was just two streets away. The lawn was in full Halloween décor but tastefully done, not gash or overly. We rang the door bell, the father answered the door and sort of didn’t expect me to come in with Snow White. The inside of the house was also well decorated for a haunted house theme. As we entered the door a flock of girls (10 or so) came and all sang in unison” ‘Snow White’ is here at last!” [she was dressed as Snow White but they all called her out Snow White, princess ___ her name]. I was a little surprised how many knew her but she said she knows all the girls. That was all she said to me. After that she was in the “zone” and didn’t even hear me say good bye, a slight hug, a miss targeted kiss on the cheek, all she saw was her friends. Her eyes and thoughts were on them and their costumes. Not one other princess at the whole party of 20 girls as she told me Sunday afternoon.

We dropped her off at 6pm and I kept a watch full eye on my cell phone. I thought ok she will get through the first few parts of the party ok. I guided my parents to the golden mile of shops and restaurants where they pulled off to have dinner. My Sister and I headed to the mall I had yet to discover on my own. We walked and shopped, I kept my cell phone an blue tooth on and checked my cell phone every 2 minutes to make sure it was in proper working order.

My Sister and I get on so well we laugh just about every other syllable. We were carrying on so much we forgot she found a perfect little gift to bring her “Baby” Mr. Bear puppy. We walked a good distance down the mall before she called me by my first name, my middle name and ummm… her married last name as my last name. I thought “What the poop is up with you?” She said “We HAVE to go back!” Her eyes were as big as saucers! She kept repeating “We HAVE to go BACK!” Each time she said it she emphasized more on the words HAVE and BACK! I followed her back to the last store we went into and saw the gift she wanted for her “Baby” was still in her hands! We had been so caught up in our laughing and giggling we completely forgot to stop by a register and pay for “Baby’s” gift!! We went to the nearest register and paid for the item. Just as we walked out of the store the security alarm went off. A family in front of us turned around to the cashier with a questioning look. My Sister said “Oh I think they forgot to take off the security tag from ‘Baby‘s Toy.” I said “I think you would have set it off the first time we passed here.” We Laughed and giggled until we just barely supported each other standing. Our parents could not believe my Sister was almost a shop lifter.

We drove the five minutes from the mall to my house and I must have looked at my cell phone about a dozen times. My Sister is so sweet she didn’t even question me about it. She tried to keep my mind on other things. We went to the grocery store and bought junk food for the viewing of the Bell Witch aka An American Haunting. We arrived at my house to discover my parents finished their dinner before we finished our shopping. They were still Keyless.

I stopped looking at the time every few minutes and changed to every 5 minutes. The movie was over and I looked at the clock and clutched my cell phone to my chest and declared in front of my Sister and parents “it is 10 o’clock and she [Snow White] hasn’t called me to come pick her up! I am sure they are all about to go to sleep by now and she hasn’t called me yet. Maybe they are letting them stay up? My Sister laughs at me and says the first sleep over is much harder on me than it is on Snow White. My parents laugh too and they all agree it is better that she has her first sleep over now when ‘someone’ is keeping me busy so I do not worry too much.

Morning comes and I so want to sprint over and pick up Snow White from her sleep over. What if she wanted to call me but the parents there thought wait a little while and then call your Mom all the while thinking her want to call Mom would fade. I had the greatest excuses of all time! My cell phone did not jump over to the fall back [turning the clock back one hour], her Auntie was leaving and we wanted to do breakfast with her [didn’t have to be on the road until 11 am at the latest], party was to be over by 9am as the invitation stated and you know half a dozen parents would have shown up early due to not turning back the clocks the night before. I was safe to pick her up early for so many reasons!

I am at the door after my parents, my Sister and I have all showered and ready for the day. A very bright and chipper Dad answers the door and a very sleepy Snow White says ok she will go with us. She gathers her belongings as chipper Dad helps her. She is not ecstatic to see me as she thought I would wait until after Halloween breakfast was over. She gives her young hostess regretful goodbye and hugs her. A few girls say “Where is Snow White sitting?” as they gather around a large table for breakfast.

When we arrive at the restaurant for breakfast it is then that I realize Snow White is still in her Pjs but she does have her socks and shoes on. No one noticed but us since we know they were bought the night before at Old Navy.