how do you mend a broken heart
it’s a tough day for sebastian.
annie has left the building, and hong kong.
annie. yes, ringletted, cheerleading, lovely annie, 33.33 % of the sebastian, adam and annie trio.
sebastian has known annie is moving for about one month now, and he figured she was moving from the building, or going on a holiday like a lot of people do at Christmas. guess again, kitten. nope, she’s going back to aus.
to give annie a royal send off, saturday night magnificent and i invited annie and adam to spend the night. the evening started with annie jumping into the bath with sebastian and racing around with him in the tub until adam arrived. at which point, everyone in their pajamas they sat down and ate a pizza, shared with asheligh, adam’s younger sister and the triplets. and then we set the kids up in the playroom, where the guests selected the evening’s viewing: star wars and superman (chris reeve version).
they were very good, and at 8.30pm i brought out the bedding and they happily laid down. every too often someone would get out of bed with the report like,
"tess, adam hurt his elbow"
"tess, sebastian pinched me"
"mummy, annie drank some of my ribena"
"tess, annie choked on some popcorn but she didn’t vomit."
and magnificent and i would nod, and look at each other. adam’s mum came up for a bit, to hug adam goodnight and during that time the kids sometimes directed their newsflashes to her. and she nodded and we continued talking.
popcorn in bed time, and that was a bit of a hit as well. three bowls so no fights.
then we had the big "we’re having pancakes in the morning but you’re not" discussion which had to go two against one in every combination and permutation. which involved each kid racing into our room to check they would indeed, be eating pancakes come morning. after child number three came into our room we informed the amigos that unless behaviour improved there would be NO pancakes come the morning.
around 9.15 i realised this three kids one bed wasn’t working and got in there and divided them all up. annie volunteered for the sofa, and i separated seb and adam. 15 minutes later the movie was off, annie was sleeping happily and adam and sebbie were whispering contendedly. when they weren’t coming to see me, or doing one of their 1,000 wees.
"tess, why do you say poopers instead of poo?"
"i’m not really sure."
"mum, adam is scared but he isn’t anymore."
"well, that’s good. goodnight, sebastian."
finally it got to the point (at 11pm, i don’t think i am being unreasonable here!) where i said to the boys, "you are not listening to me when i tell you to stop talking and go to sleep. so what you are saying is that you want me to call adam’s dad and get him to come and get adam? go home? no more sleepover or pancakes in the morning?"
"noooooooooo?"
"well, it is definitely bedtime boys."
five minutes later, mouths were open and they were snoring softly. we sent the parents text messages and we all smiled.
and in the morning, too soon after they fell asleep, they woke up and ate pancakes.
and now, too soon before bouncing into our life with her curls, big blue eyes, and smiles, annie is leaving tonight. i don’t know when seb can see her again, but today, as i look into seb’s face and know he doesn’t fully get it, but he will soon, i am grateful that time takes away the intensity of our feelings.
