Hovering

On December 30th, before I left for work Alyssa asked if her friend T could come over on New Year’s Eve and spend the day with us.

I figured, “Why not?” So I sent T’s mom a message via Facebook and plans began to set.

Although N, T’s mom, replied to my Facebook message, I called her that evening when I got home from work, just because it’s easier to actually TALK to each other and make plans than it is to do it via messaging.

It was set that I’d go get T at 10 on New Year’s Eve morning, she’d spend the day with us and then at 6:00 that evening, T’s mom would come get T and Alyssa for the night.

But the weather outside was frightful and the more Tom and I talked, the more we realized that letting Alyssa spend the night with T was a bad idea. The snow was already falling when T’s mom got there at 6:00. I explained to her that we were going to let Alyssa go to their house for the evening but I was going to go get her at around 10:00 so none of us would have to be out on the roads the next day after a night of snowing and blowing.

Just before the girls left with T’s mom, Alyssa came to me and said, “I wish I could spend the night.”

I hugged her and told her, “I know you do, but the weather is awful and I really just want you home before it gets worse.”

She was disappointed but still glad to get to go at all.

I’ll be honest, I wanted to give in and let her stay the night. A third friend was going to be there and I knew it was going to suck for Alyssa when 10:00 rolled around and I showed up to take her home.

But I also had her safety and my own, at heart. I wanted her to have fun but I also wanted to avoid driving on snow-covered, slippery back roads the next day.

After Alyssa and T left for the evening, I took Olivia up for a bath. About forty minutes after the bath started, I asked O if she was ready for me to wash her hair and get out. She replied with exasperation, “Mom! I just got in here.”

Okay then. I hung out around the bathroom while she played a little longer.

Finally, she was fully pruned and agreed to get out after I washed her hair. She was grateful for the warm pajamas I’d laid out for her.

We settled in on the couch and read our three books for the night. She asked for some rainbow sherbet and then, as she lay almost dozing, she asked me, “When you go get Lyssie, are you going to wake me up?”

I told her I wouldn’t wake her up.

She asked, “Are you just going to carry me to the car while I sleep then?”

Ha! I suggested that maybe I’d just leave her sleeping on the couch by her daddy and I’d go get Lyssie and we’d be back before she knew it.

She uttered a very clear, “No.”

This was not an acceptable solution to her.

I just smiled, rubbed her back and told her I’d let her sleep while I went to pick up her sister. Is it my fault that miss bossy pants assumed I’d carry her sleeping self to the car and take her with me? No, I think not. The child never woke up during the half hour I was gone and the next morning asked me if she slept through going to pick up Lyss. She did sleep through it.

When A and I got home I hugged her again and told her again that I was sorry the sucky weather made for a disappointing New Year’s Eve.

Then…that child said something that I know all moms of children who are on the brink of the teen years will appreciate.

She hugged me back and said, “It’s okay. I had fun at T’s house but I’d really rather be here with you.”

Ohh, my sweet girl. I just can’t even stand it.

In the end, Tom woke up long enough to ring in the new year with me and Alyssa. We all hugged and kissed as the ball dropped while Olivia snoozed on the couch. We ate some Chex Mix and Tom and Alyssa drank diet Pepsi.

We were all able to stay home on New Year’s day and that, my friends, is the benefit of being an over protective parent.