Playdates and Sleepovers with Maceys

It is hard for me to explain just how important great friends are in my life. I belong to two moms clubs because I need that support and social activity for me just as much as for my kids. Lately, we have had the pleasure of the Macey kids' company a lot.

I was watching Avi and Hugo the other afternoon and as you can tell the kids were all enjoying playing side by side. It was fun to watch Morgan with a little brother type, helping Hugo with his cars or giving him super heroes.

Cody and Morgan headed out for a father/son campout on Friday, May17th, so I told Pepper she could have a friend over for a sleepover. She was over-the-moon excited to have Avi come over to her perfect princess sleepover party (as Pepper kept calling it.) Pepper had all sorts of activities planned that would have taken a month of sleepovers to actually accomplish. I decided to take the night off of cooking and started the sleepover with dinner at Chick-fil-A. Everyone was just fine with that.

Instagram version of the picture.

I was trying to get Hazel to smile but I think instead I got my most favorite picture of this little beauty!
Those cheeks. Her eyes. That hair!
I'm so glad she's mine!

Don't you love how Avi is perfect in all of these pictures and Pepper is all over the place.
Makes me laugh every time!

When we got home it was normal bedtime. I had all the girls get ready for bed and then I sent the two older girls downstairs to play while I read to Hazel and put her to bed. I decided to let them stay up an hour later and watch a movie with some popcorn. I'm pretty sure they thought I was the greatest!

I found them busily and quietly playing Strawberry Shortcake so peacefully together.
If Morgan and Pepper could find a way to do things like this, my life would be a whole lot easier!

Movie time.
A Tinkerbell movie was chosen to no one's surprise.

Pepper had a bit of a cough when she went to bed, probably from allergy drainage. I was worried that the girls would have a hard time falling asleep in the same room and that they might get up a lot during the night for various reasons. I'm pretty good about stressing myself out about things like this, especially when Cody is gone. When the time came to go to bed, neither girl fussed or really complained but got ready for bed. I read to both of them in Pepper's bed and then put Avi down on a little bed I had made up for her on Pepper's floor. I turned off the light (which has been staying on lately per Pepper's request) and laid with them for about 10 minutes. By the time I left Avi was asleep and Pepper was almost there even with all her coughing. I gave her some medicine and turned on her humidifier and went downstairs to relax. Much to my amazement, everyone slept through the night and the girls didn't come get me until 7:15. That's later than normal! We had some more playtime before Avi had to get picked up for soccer and Pepper needed to go to ballet. I would say that our first just-for-fun friend sleepover was a great success!

The next morning this little sister helped herself to all the leftover popcorn and Avi's Bob the Builder slippers.

After ballet and donuts, I dropped off the girls with Avi's grand-parents to spend a few hours so I could do some shopping alone. I felt bad having them babysit my kids on their vacation but they said they were happy to because it would keep Avi and Hugo entertained. I know the feeling! The girls continued to have more fun together and the babies were their normal fun selves according to the grandparents. Love these kids!

Avi's grandma sent me this photo while I was shopping.
Two very happy girls or "sisters" as they call each other.

So, these are the pictures from the playdate on Wednesday, May 15. They were out of order and I was too lazy to switch them.

Dress up makeover time.

Hugo was in heaven with Morgan's big bucket of cars and trucks that very rarely gets used these days.

I love watching babies play together. Hugo is just 6 months ahead of Hazel and I don't think it will be too long before they are having a lot more fun together. 

Here's a video I took with my phone of Hazel and Hugo running around the house laughing at each other. It was so nice to have everyone entertaining each other so I could clean the kitchen and cook dinner in peace. I should babysit more often!