Playdate

Today was my sons first playdate. Oh, don't get me wrong he has played with other children before. But usually it was under the guise of Mommy' s are getting together to talk and eat so yeh, you get to have a playdate with so and so!
Nope, not this time. Roo has been asking since school started to have Andrew over.
It takes us moms a while to warn up to each other, get comfortable enough to let our child go into a home we've never been in, cared for by a person we hope has the same values and rules that we have.
When Andrew was first dropped of he clung to his mom.
"I don't want to stay! I will go when my mom leaves."
His mom stayed for a bit, I was totally embarrassed because I hadn't even made my bed, I had laundry baskets EVERYWHERE and no, no I did NOT get the floor vacuumed!
So when she said "Oh, I'll come in and stay..."
My first thought was "We should stay RIGHT HERE! In the foyer."
She followed her son upstairs. My pulse was racing! Finally I just said "I'm sorry we are messy. My mom was a clean freak and I just don't think it's that big of deal if the bed doesn't get made and I only do laundry two days a week because it takes that long for it to find it's way back in the drawers or hamper again!"
She laughed and put me at ease. So kind of her.
I began telling the boys what I had in store for them. Normally I don't play with my kids ALL DAY LONG, but since we had a guest and this was special I made plans.
Last Christmas my kids got a science kit from their uncle, he likes to get them things I deem "too messy." For instance, he bought them this goo, that had these tiny balls in it. Do you want to know what my kids did with it? They put it in Uncle Nick's hair. He thought he'd be cute and show them how to stick it on their faces, only instead of putting it on themselves, they ganged up and covered him in it! He was a MESS. he claimed he found those stinking tiny balls everywhere and for days!!!! Serves him right.
So science kit...I've been stalling, hiding the box in a closet, out of sight, out of mind! When I knew Andrew was coming I read some directions and decided we'd make the jiggley crystals.
The boys were totally into it. I just kept praying nobody ate the stuff or spilled it.
Mom left after I began our "lab".
Afterward we walked over to the park. My son took off, running around willy nilly, Andrew sat and played in the sand, making "dinner". Roo was ummm, energetic.
After about a half hour, too short in my book, they both said they were hungry. Okay I had a plan for this too!
Peanut Butter Ghost sandwiches, Apple slice tombstones with gooy "dirt" and Cheesy Poof brains!
Andrew ate five bites of everything and declared himself FULL. Yes, exactly five bites of everything. I was watching. Roo on the other hand stuffed his mouth too full, talked with his mouth full and spilt his milk on his cheesy poof brains.
After lunch the boys wanted to go out in the yard. Well, I hadn't cleaned up poop YET!!!! Or the table from lunch!
I cleared the swingset area first! But they wanted to rake and jump in leaves. I did my best to clean fast!!!!!
After I was sure I got it all I came inside. I had three bins full of clean laundry that needed folding and I still needed to get the table cleared off.
Andrew came in and says "Whatcha doing?"
"I'm doing laundry honey, why don't you go play outside with Roo."
"No, I'll help."
"With laundry? No you are here to play. I'm not going to make you do laundry on your playdate!"
"But I want to."
The kid took his first towel and began folding it. He matched me towel for towel, rag for rag, pillow case for pillow case. I'm telling you this kid could FOLD! And he WANTED to.
Roo came inside and asked "where's Andrew? Do you want to play?"
He answered "No. I'm folding laundry."
Be still my heart!
Andrew was actually sad when I proclaimed "We're done!"
Now it was time to pull out the big guns...
The computer!
My kids are not allowed on the computer. It is a rare treat when I open up PBSKIDS or Barbie world. (Barbie would not be used today though)
Andrew was familiar with PBSKIDS and the boys played together until his mom came to get him at which time he whined "But I don't WANT to go yet!!!"
Hee hee hee. Of course, I did my job. Make the kids happy and want to come back, so maybe NEXT time or the time after that I can actually ENJOY not having to entertain MY kid for a few hours! Isn't that what playdates are all about?? The entertainment for your child so you don't have to??
I forgot to mention the games we played, and that my head now feels like it will explode from the constant attention I had been giving all day long.
Andrew has asked for Roo to come play at his house. Well, that sounds great to me but what will end up happening is my son will just be in heaven over someone else's cool stuff and who cares if there is another kid in the room...
Roo is a one man show. He likes to do his own thing, maybe that comes from having a bossy sister, I don't really know. I was the same way. Still am. I like doing my own thing. But sometimes I like to share company too. I think with time Roo will learn there are good parts to both!