Metal Meredith

...and not Vivienne

Vivienne will be heading down to Williamsburg this Friday for her very first sleepover. Not only is this her first time staying at someone else’s house, but her first time sleeping away from Mom and Dad.

Mom is worried. Dad is a little nervous. Vivienne is ecstatic.

When Phil gave me a trip to Europe for our anniversary this year, it didn’t even cross my mind to be concerned about leaving Vivienne for a week. It wasn’t until well into the evening that I realized the logistical problems of not being here.

Luckily, we have more than 3 sets of Grandparents and family all vying for the chance to keep her overnight without my watchful, evil eye. Just considering all the packing, quirks and routines, not to mention the fact that someone will be staying in my house….seeing the real dirt that has collected in the corners and piles of stuff stashed in closets to be ‘dealt with later’, makes me incredibly nervous. After, Phil and I are dreading the reality of coming home to a kid who has eaten whatever she wants, slept whenever she felt like it (or not, which is always more of a problem) and been spoiled rotten. Such is the punishment for wanting a week off from parenting, I suppose.

I remember spending weeks with my Grandparents in Baltimore when I was a child. For whatever reason, I barely remember them going to work, only taking me to the Aquarium, Chuck-ee-Cheese’s and other ridiculous restaurants, Friendly’s for ice cream and the local mall to ride on the carousel and eat bad food court food. Those are truly some of my fondest childhood memories.

This weekend will be great as a trial run. We are hoping that Vivienne behaves and is easily amused. If so, this might be a more regular thing. Can you imagine? A weekend alone for Phil and me? I am not sure we would know what to do with ourselves. Knowing us, we will be perched on the sofa, each with a laptop, reading blogs and eating cookies. Better yet, we might finish the kitchen floor.

We are a lot of fun.