A House Teeming with Teens

Sounds to me like they're having fun. My office is right above the basement and I can hear their laughter--and Fig announcing the game "Never Have I Ever," where they take turns talking about things they've never done. I can't hear their answers, but then again, I'm not trying too hard. H. put the black light in down there for them so they're seeing things in a different cast.

There are 8 girls [the ninth, sweet L., had to leave earlier] and two lone blonde boys. Two of the girls are from New York City, which seems exotic compared to our suburbs. Two of the others arrived this morning [one bearing pink Valentine's bagels] and then Fig led them in the beauty treatments she lives for--mud masks for their hair, moisturizers for their faces and, in the end, a lot of towels for us to wash.

The larger group met up at 4 PM, attempting a giant game of hide-and-seek downtown, but it proved too unwieldy. [Fig and friends had sent out invites via Facebook.] They all walked the 20 minutes back here, but not until Fig had called us a few times to warn us to get more chips.

They sunk into the living room couch and chairs for taquitos, Sun Chips, carrots and cucumbers--and a Fearnet movie that looked dumb to me, but drew a lot of laughter and squeals from them.

I made a heart-shaped chocolate cake from scratch, with sour-cream chocolate icing and a red rose in the middle. It was pure pleasure for me, and they loved it. Their lives are still young and simple enough that they get excited over an old-fashioned pleasure like cake. [Wait a minute, that never changed for me--starting with the mini cupcakes and layers I baked in my own special, silvery doll-size pans with my mom.]

Then all 11 laughed in Fig's bedroom--and now the bedframe is broken. We can't win. Next they walked to the graveyard [strange, I know, but I guess pretty harmless in the grand scheme of things] and came back 30 minutes later to bound down to the basement, like playful bear cubs leaving the wizened, grown-up black bears behind to tend to serious stuff, like making and keeping a home. As if bonding and pranking is something only younger bears do.

I am happy to know where Figgy is, and that she is safe, laughing and having fun. One mom I know, with older kids, said she always made it a point to be the house with the food and games, so the kids would want to congregate there.

Definitely worth the extra grocery bill, I'd say.