Generational Slumber Parties

Some of my absolute favorite memories from my childhood were the numerous slumber parties I got to have with my cousins here in Missouri. The usual crowd consisted of myself, Nici, and Vanessa and boy did we have fun. We did anything from playing games, to watching movies, playing avon lady and dressing up with Grandma’s dress up clothes. We spent many nights staying up very late or should I say early into the morning just planning out our lives and our marriages and our children and of course there always happened to be lots of laughter. Things kept getting more humorous as the night went on, or maybe we just got a tad bit more giddy. Either way, we laughed a ton and those truly are my favorite child hood memories. I loved coming to Missouri for visits and knowing I would see my dear cousins whom I have always felt loved by and accepted, no matter where I was in life or what was going on.
Many years later, we all have our own daughters and we decided that it was time to do the generational slumber parties.  Unfortunately we didn’t get to do them all at the same time, so the first slumber party, or maybe I should call it a semi-slumber party, was at Grandma’s house the second Friday we were in Missouri. Heather, Squeak, Ashlyn, Grandma, Mom, Vanessa, and her daughter Ceci came over. Danny and Barbara and Malachi and Naomi came also, but they all went to bed a little earlier than we did. So, the kids played some games and then Ava and Christian conked out too. However, Ceci amazed us all as we sat around and talked until the wee hours of the morning, because she stayed awake and in a great mood until at least 12:00. So amazing, and definitely ready for some true slumber partying. Great start Ceci!! So, we stayed up and talked for a few hours and just enjoyed each other’s company. We were hoping do another slumber party but some events happened that I will discuss later that made it a little more difficult. It was really great to get to spend the time talking and laughing and some things never change. Our slumber party went again, until wee hours in the morning.

The Second Slumber party was at My cousin Nici’s house in Columbia with her and her daughters Mya and Avery. Christian stayed with Nana, because he was not feeling so well, but Ava and I traveled up and spent two evenings with the girls. Mya and Ava were born three weeks apart and they were so excited about getting together. Nici and I were both hoping they had as much fun as they were both expecting, because the girls had been talking about this for weeks. At first, being the strong willed children they are, they each had their own agenda and they didn’t even play together. They argued and got a bit frustrated with each other, but by the end of the first evening, they were having fun together. They watched a princess Barbie movie and then it was off to bed. The best part was how much they laughed and giggled and Nici and I laid on the floor beside them and laughed and giggled at them. The longer the night went the giddier they got. So sweet and we kept laughing at how much it was just like us.

The next day, the girls played together all day with Avery too. They did pretty good with a few arguments over what they were going to play next. We went to Mya’s preschool play yard and they ran around playing that they were the Princesses rescuing the Prince from the mean dragon and bad people. Go Girl Power!!! They also played on the stair case at Nici’s house, played dolls, little people, and many other fun activities. Nici and I of course had the chance the second night to stay up and talk after our babies were all three in bed, and that was very nice and refreshing. When we got up to check the time, we were shocked to see it said 3:30 a.m. Wow, so crazy. Some things never change.

The funniest thing that happened was the morning we got up and made the girls Eggs over easy.  Mya called her egg "runny eggs" and Ava called them "dippy eggs". . .I was over hearing their conversation as they were trying to tell the other one how to say runny or dippy.  They were pretty certain they each were right and the other girl was wrong.  This also happened when we told them to get their shoes on to go outside.  Ava calls them sneakers and Mya calls them tennis shoes and so they argued about this too.  SO funny!!!

The girls were so excited to be watching the Barbie Princess Movie.  They wanted to watch a few more but we ended it with just one.  It was so cute, little Avery just climbed right up there with them and joined in and they loved her being there.  Our three girls.

They spent a lot of time climbing this part of the stair case and then sliding down.  You can see the dolls they were playing with that they sat down at the bottom of the stairs while they were playing on the stairs. 

One of my favorite parts of this particular trip was how the girls loved this over sized night gown that was their cousin Ashlyns.  They took turns wearing it and they called it the "Cinderella Ball Gown."  So funny.

Our final slumber party of the month was for Christian.  We invited Sage and Tio over to Grandma's so the kids could all play together and Tio is the same age as Christian.  Now, let me tell you, the slumber party with boys is a whole new ball game.  Where the girls were playing house and dolls and girlie things, the boys were playing sword fight and wrestled.  :)  Oh, and Horses running on hands and knees through the house.  So fun.  It was great hanging out with all of our different cousins and the kids had a blast getting to know each other.  Grandma made everyone pancakes and we just enjoyed spending time together.  Tio woke up really early and he went down to the rec room to see who was down there.  His cousins, Austin and Lerran were there and they said as soon as they opened their eyes, he started talking.  I love him. :) They kids had fun and that was what it was all about. 
 

Sword fights!!

Getting ready for bed in the Blue Room!!!