laurel turns 8!

On Friday after I finished my work day, I came home and got the boys in the car for our trip to Elizabethtown (outside of Harrisburg).  My niece was having her 8th birthday party Saturday afternoon.  Bob was very reluctant to get in the car.  He had been playing with neighborhood friends and didn't want to make the 3 1/2 hour drive.  (I really didn't care if he wanted to go.  We were going.  End of story.)

Bob eventually calmed down (after an hour of crying!!!!); we stopped for dinner and continued the drive to my sister's house.  We arrived at her house around 7:30 p.m.  My parents were already there.  They had been babysitting her three kids since Tuesday.  The boys got out of the car and started playing with my two nephews, Gabriel and Cedar, and Laurel. 

The kids played until bedtime.  Bob came downstairs and asked if we could stay after Laurel's party was over tomorrow.  I had planned on heading home as soon as the party was over.  I told him I would think about it.  Bob feels that I always dismiss what he has to say.  Unfortunately, I do dismiss him occasionally.  I have been trying to actively listen to him more, so I told him it would depend on his behavior. 

Today after the boys woke up, they played with my sisters' kids until it was time to go to my sister's community pool.  That is where Laurel's party was being held.  The water was fairly chilly, but SJ didn't seem to mind.  He went right to their diving pool.  He was doing front flips over and over again.  My brother-in-law asked me where he learned to dive like that.  I could only assume it was from when we had our trampoline.  At our pool, they have a diving block.  The kids aren't allowed to do flips, since the water is only 9 feet deep in the deep end.

The kids were in and out of the water many times.  They also played in the playground, played table tennis, volleyball and participated in all of Laurel's party activities.  About 30 minutes before the party was to end, Bob asked me again if we could stay.  I called my husband and he told me to stay and enjoy my sister's family.  When I told Bob, he was so happy.

When the party was over, I drove my nephews back to my sister's house.  Gabriel's neighbor called to see if his brother and he could come over to play.  They came over and all the boys played wiffle ball until dinner time.  After dinner, the boys watched the Little League World Series and played some XBox until bedtime. 

I am glad that I listened to Bob.  It gave me more time with family I rarely get to see and Bob finally feels that I heard him.