We have a family friend.  Her name is Victoria, and she has been spending time with our family for a month or so.  When the doorbell rings in the late afternoon, I no longer wonder who it could possibly be.  She is a great playmate to Dylan, an auxiliary caregiver to Julia, and at eleven years of age, she is a glimpse into the future of parenting an “older” kid for me.

Her family has been close with us for years.  When John and Annette (her parents) won a trip to Vegas, they invited us.  When I needed a ride home from work last night, her dad came to pick me up.  Her older brother Alex occasionally watches the kids while we ride our bikes downtown for drinks and dancing.  Yet Victoria has only recently carved out her own special place in our larger family friendship.

Last week, she had a few days off from school and was invited to our place for a sleepover.  Everyone had a good time and she helped bedtime go super smoothly by reading books to the kids until they drifted away.  The next day, we played and played until I finally reminded her it would be a good idea to check in with her parents.  So why does she like to hang out with us?  I will have to ask her.

It may have to do with being the oldest kid when she is at our house, while she is the youngest at her home.  Maybe she is excited to practice playing the piano on our new keyboard, or to learn a new chord on the guitar (she says she is getting free lessons from me).  Or perhaps she senses the coming change in her life as she sets out to explore the larger world of her adolescence, and is savoring a bit of childhood by hanging out with young children.  I know I am.