My Best Christmas GIft Ever

Did I get your attention with that title??? Well You have to read along.  You all know my Darbee Rae and how special she is to her Nana.  Could be that it's because she is my one and only grandchild but then those of you who are so fortunate to have many little bundles of joy and grown big bundles of joy must know they are all so special.  Sorry, back to my post. 

Darbee Rae turned 5 in October.  She thinks she is a big girl now.  Well, you also know that she would NEVER spend the night with her Nana.  Yes, she had tried several times but at bedtime Mommy would have to drive out and take her home.  Oh, the "I want to, but just can't " look on her little face would break my heart.  But I would tell her when she was ready it would happen and off she would go to her house with her Mama and Daddy,

Well, she decided just before Christmas break she was now a BIG girl and old enough to stay over with Nana.  Really, I didn't think it would happen, but played it up and deep down was so excited that we were going to try it yet one more time.

Last night her Mommy and Daddy had a dinner engagement with their Sunday School class at church so the perfect time for us to give overnight a try. She came in around 4 in the afternoon and golly she looked like she was moving.  She had her "big girl hotel luggage" as she calls it and her new baby, Cuddles her bear, another cartoon character Santa brought and a caterpillar to sleep with. There were games, Ipod, legos, dress up clothes,,,,, and the list goes on and on. 

She was so excited to be staying over and so was I.  We got all dressed up and Papa took us out to eat at her favorite restaurant.  Here she is getting all pretty for Papa.

 

We ate at Red Robin because Darbee Rae loves their spaghetti. Afterward did a little shopping.  Something she loves to do.

 

When we came in we played with her Matching Dominoes. That's a favorite game of mine as my Daddy had a domino group that met at the house when I was growing up.  They would let me join in and I love the game.   Betty Crowe you better watch out.  She loves the dominoes,.  We are going to start with the real ones soon.  You might just have competition one day. Who knows she may have her own domino group one day. 

 

From that she entertained us by dressing up.  She danced, sang, you name it she did it.  I kept looking at the clock and was wondering how long this would last.  She had Papa busy helping to build her a house with a pink roof.

 

 

Yes building a house still in her dance costume,  Before that house was done Papa was ready to stomp Santa.  Way to complicated for a 5 year old.  Hear that Mommy???

 

Before long it was time for bed.  We were going to have a slumber party just us girls in the guest room upstairs.  Now I will tell you what really won her over and made her decide to stay.  Don't all little girls love to RAMBLE through drawers and plunder??? Well I had told her we would do just that in the guest room if she decided to stay overnight.  This Nana was true to her word.

 

 

 I had a drawer fixed with old happy meal toys that I had saved from Holly's youth.  What child could have been more excited.  From there we looked at old pictures and read lots of Mommy's books she enjoyed when she was little.  All the time pretending we were in a hotel in the mountains.

 

When she finally got ready to go to sleep, she had to plan her day for when she woke up .  She has a wonderful imagination. She said we were going Primitive Shopping at The Hen and see Betty Crowe and play with Andrew and Molly.  Betty, she even ask if Andrew's Mommy had her hair back from the cancer.  Wasn't that too sweet?  We said our good nights, I got some wonderful loving and she said she bet Mommy and Daddy were snoozing already. 

YES, YES, YES,  my baby girl stayed all night.  No tears, phone calls, just a big girl sleeping and making memories with her Nana.  The best present anyone could want.  I had smiles in my heart all day long. 

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She was so proud of herself when I woke her after 9 this morning.  What did we do??  Went to Mac Donald's and bought her a chicken biscuit, her favorite and there she met her Mommy.

 

 

 

How did Mommy sleep with Darbee Rae gone, and Daddy too for that matter??  Don't think they did as well.  Was still waiting on a phone call to come get her and I think deep down hoping the phone would ring.  Not this time Holly.  Your baby is growing up  Thanks for allowing your daddy and me the joy that Darbee's visit brought to our hearts.  We love all of you.

 

And thanks to all of you that let me be the proud Nana that I am today and share this special day with all of  you.  Time is passing so quickly and we are not promised tomorrow.  Take time to enjoy the little things in life.  Nothing more precious than a memory.

Until next time