Can Keira come out and play?

Keira's growing up.  I mean, I knew it was coming, but I didn't know we were quite here yet.  Registered her for kindergarten, no problem.  But the other day we were at the park and Liam was ready to go.  Really ready to go.  We'd been there for a few hours and he was tired and hungry and on the verge of a meltdown.  Time.to.go!  Normally I'd grab Keira and we'd all go home.  But she was having so much fun with her friends, and didn't want to leave.  One of my friends said they were leaving soon (it was almost dark anyway), and Keira could stay and they'd bring her home.  Ok, sounds great.  Then on their way to our house, they called and said "Can Keira come over to play?"  Now this doesn't sound like a big deal...but up until now, if someone watched one of the kids, they were babysitting.  Or if one of the kids played at a friend's house, I was there.  But to have one of the kids go over to just play, without me, that sounded so grown up.  I was making dinner while she was at the park, so I told her she needed to come home for dinner and then she could go back after dinner to play.  Chris and I were talking about it afterwards, and realized Keira is at the age where she is going to go over to a friends house to play, and may even stay for dinner.  And her friends will come over here and do the same.  That's the big reason we moved to this neighborhood.  Lots of kids to play with.  So next time her friends ask if she wants to come over and play, we'll let her.  When she's hungry she'll either ask to come home or will just eat with them.  And I know to expect the same here.  I just thought I still had a few months before my little girl was going to be 'on her own' out in the neighborhood!