Ben (who is not pictured because I forgot my camera, though he does in fact have the same pj’s and stuffed dog as Google boy here…) had his first sleepover last night: at his preschool! This is a long-standing tradition for the graduating kids–so long-standing that one of the teachers chaperoned a current parent on her sleepover. The families all gathered for a potluck barbecue dinner; at 8 p.m., a bell rang and we departed, leaving a few teachers and six hardy parents to wrangle 20+ excited preschoolers for the night. Ben hardly noticed our leaving, though Eli was very sad at leaving “Buh–buh” behind.

The kids got themselves into pj’s (most before we’d even left) and made glow-stick necklaces so that they could play flashlight tag in the yard after dark. They were invited in for cups of milk before bed, read to, and then left listening to stories on tape. I’m told most of the kids were asleep before 10, with a couple hold-outs finally dropping off around 11. Two kids changed their minds about staying over before bedtime; only one family got a 2 a.m. call to collect their daughter.

When we got to school this morning around 8, we found Ben (who’d managed to sleep through the early bird cacophony) sitting down to a nice breakfast buffet of fruit, yogurt, juice and banana bread. I think he’d sleepover at school every week now if he had the chance; there’s probably nowhere else outside our home that he’s happier.

It felt a little funny to walk past his empty bedroom last night, and Eli really missed him, but still, I think we could get used to this! I’m wondering how soon we can schedule the next sleepover…