And the award goes to...

Not this Mom. At least not for yesterday.

Our kids have come to enjoy having "slumber parties" with each other in the basement. At first I was against it, but before I say "NO" I at least try to come up with a good reason - and I really couldn't so I said "YES". This was last week.

Last night they asked again and since last week's "party" went well and there were no tattles or sounds of fighting during the night I quickly agreed but cautioned that they need to get to sleep sooner than later.

I puttered around in the kitchen for a little bit and then checked to see if I could hear anything...lo and behold I heard the TV.

Busted.

I never actually said "no TV" but thought it was implied so I clearly restated the rules for the "slumber party" and said good night.

I puttered around some more.

I decided to check on them again, so I stepped down a couple of stairs quietly and heard talking...then laughing...then silliness...then more laughing. If I didn't know better, I would have thought I was listening to two friends at a sleepover. They were acting like friends...giggling...enjoying each other...telling jokes and stories and having a ball. They were making their own memory that someday they would retell like this "Remember when we used to sleep in the basement on the futon...".

Delighted at my rare discovery I pulled out my phone from my pocket and started to text my husband who was upstairs. "You're not going to believe this... the kids are acting like friends...they are cracking each other up! They have no idea I'm listening to them..."

Every time I sent a message my phone produced a light and pretty soon I heard the boy start to notice..."Did you see that light?...there it is again! What do you think it is?"

The girl would respond "I didn't see anything. You're making it up. Seriously..."

Until she saw it.

I flashed the phone light a couple more times to see how they would react (here is where I crossed the line).

And both were scared. to. death.

The laughs turned to whispers..."Go see what it is!" "No YOU go see what it is"

"Lets go together"

Finally I said "hey guys it's just me!"

Tears. Lots of tears.

"MOM!!!! You scared us! Why did you do that, Mooooooooom!"

So...sheepishly, I came clean about how enamored I was listening to them enjoy each other's company and act like friends. I explained how precious it was to hear their giggles and chatter because so often it is the opposite that I hear, and I showed them all of the messages I had sent to their Dad saying how proud I was of them and how cute they were. Then I hugged the scared away and sincerely apologized for scaring them half to death.

This helped my case a little but I could tell they were really honestly scared. They almost decided to sleep in their own beds. Nice going, Mom.

So now I imagine their retelling of this story will go a little something like this:
"Remember when we slept in the basement that time and Mom freaked us out with her phone light and we were so scared"

I will remember it this way:
"Remember that time you slept in the basement and I overheard two friends who were brother and sister? I'll never forget how sweet that was."

I will never forget how sweet that was.