Imagine

Imagine, if you will, a room filled with 18 kindergarten/first grade girls. They are squealing, screaming, running around the room, filled with excitement and energy. They are dressed up in their best princess finery and enjoying getting a royal makeover.

If you can imagine this, then you know the kind of energy and enthusiasm that this age can bring. And how fleeting their attention span can be.

Now picture trying to get these girls focused on something productive, so they don't yank each other apart or trample each other in all of the party dancing frenzy. Helping them to decorate cookies without getting frosting and sprinkles all over themselves, each other and the house. Getting them organized to take a picture with beautiful hairdos, makeup and nail polish, one by one.

Now you have an accurate picture of my Sunday night.

My niece Emma just turned seven and celebrated with a princess sleepover party on Sunday night. She invited 18 of her closest buddies (I don't think I even knew 18 people at that age), who all genuinely seemed to think Emma was just the greatest ever.

My sister planned an elaborate party for Emma with costumes, makeovers, cookies, movies, cake and ice cream and more (I left after the movie, so I'm not sure what the "more" entailed). The girls had a BALL (ha ha - this pun was intended) and loved every squealing, dancing minute of it.

I'm pretty sure that Emma loved it too and I know she enjoyed being the center of attention and playing dress up with her friends. I felt sorry for my sister who was going to have to get all of these sugared-up girls to sleep at some point!

At this point, I have to say that I am pretty grateful that I have a little boy.