Audrey's Christmas Cookie Party

It all started with a kids' book--one page that Audrey found herself repeatedly pouring over--a story that she loved so much, she wanted to be a part of it.  These are feelings that echo so close to my own heart; finding myself so drawn in by a book that I imagine myself a part of it.  Granted, these days those plots are a bit more complicated than Corduroy's Christmas Surprise, but reading has played such an integral role in my life, I find it easy to empathize with Audrey when she comes to me, book in hand, and tells me she wants to make this scene real in her life too.

We took Corduroy's Christmas cookies and cocoa with friends and turned it into a real life event this week.  We issued an invitation to Audrey's closest friends to join us for an afternoon of cookie decorating, popcorn and Christmas tattoos. (I don't know why this was A's personal interpretation, but she was the boss.  This was her event.) I'm fairly certain this is the first time that I've specifically put Audrey in charge of something from start to finish.  She decided who should come, what kind of cookies should be made, helped make them, roll them out, cut them and bake them.  As each day this week passed and we gradually made preparations for her party, I could see that joy infecting her.  She took ownership of it; I could see the pride on her face when the table was finally all set with icing of every color and sprinkles of every sort.  Her friends would be here any minute to enjoy it with her and she was like a proud mama bear.

The door buzzed and chaos ensued as it always does when there are friends in the house; the best kind of chaos where
shrieks are ones of joy and the cacophony can be borne because it has sprung from frantic excitement.  We did eventually get around to decorating cookies and it was so much fun.  I loved seeing how differently each kid went about it.  Bailey only sat still long enough to squeeze icing on a few cookies before she made the rounds to inspect what everyone else was doing; the kid will not eschew socialization even for sugary treats.  Audrey meticulously piped icing and placed sprinkles, individually, in just the right spot. Their friend, Jack, cackled as he gooped piles of icing onto one cookie while Eva and Emilie experimented with every frosting/sprinkle combination on the table.
 It was manic and so much fun.  Eventually, most everyone had lost their focus and had filled their bellies with enough sugar to fuel another crazed frenzy about the house.  Kids occasionally drifted over to the table to snag a bite or to watch the mama's who were decorating their own cookies.

As the afternoon wore on, the snack table was raided; there was popcorn and nuts, half-eaten apples and oranges scattered all over the house.  But there were happy kids and mama's reveling in a few solid hours of adult interaction.  It was good for all of us.

After everyone was gone, the house was quiet and the girls had retreated to their bookshelves to seek some solace, I picked up Corduroy's Christmas Surprise and read the last page that Audrey so loved:

 "But really, Corduroy thought to himself, the best Christmas gift of all was that he was surrounded by his friends..and they were all so happy! That made Corduroy happy too."

Me too, Corduroy.  Me too.