Surviving the Sleepover

We are wrapping up our first sleepover, celebrating Coop's 10th birthday. Many of you know I avoid birthday parties at all costs, but since it was the double digit birthday, I suggested he have a sleepover. (Yes, it was my idea. I kept asking last night "Whose idea was this?) So I thought I would do a public service blog giving you the things I have learned from this experience to help all of you parents who have not yet braved the sleepover. Let me prefice this by saying all of the boys are very polite, kind to each other and did their parents proud. But they are 4th grade boys. So here are the lessons I have learned.
1. Don't over invite thinking they probably won't all come. They will ALL come. With my 3, we had 11 total.
2. Get a babysitter for the 3 year old. I spent most of the night trying to keep him out of the fray. He actually got hurt, but it had nothing to do with the boys, just his excitement of the whole night messing with his balance.
3. Get a babysitter for the 7 year old. I spent most of the night comforting him when he couldn't keep up them. He did really well until bedtime. Devastating to make him go to bed 2 hours earlier then the big boys, but Dad was wise and knew we would not survive Saturday if he didn't go to bed at a decent time.
4. Have lots of things planned. I didn't have much and they didn't like any of my ideas. I'm still at a loss of what to do with boys at a party. They don't want to do a craft or bake. The Wii didn't even take up much time. All they wanted to do was play basketball, inside or out. They didn't care. Our poor neighbors.
5. Have the party be over at 9. I said 10, thinking I would get up, take a shower, make breakfast and at 9 walk around with my sweet, calming voice "Good morning boys. Rise and shine." Ha! They were up at 7:45. Breakfast was done by 8:30. Back to basketball in the foyer.
6. Do not interrupt if you are having a moment of silence. Even if the birthday boy asks, do not offer hot chocolate in the middle of the movie when they are actually quiet.
7. Divide them up when its time to sleep. I finally took a few out of the playroom and moved them to the den. I should have had them in 8 different rooms.
8. Have an AMAZING husband! I could not have survived this without him. As I'm blogging, he's refereeing the basketball tournament on the nerf goal in the foyer. Whistle and everything.
9. Wear ear plugs. Even though I am certain that its still quieter than screaming, giggling girls, its amazing the noise level out of boys. Plus there is the added bonus of bodily sounds.
10. Something will get spilled. My great idea was as a party favor to have sports bottles with their names to drink out of. Great idea! But then the hot chocolate came in a different cup with a lid, but a large hole to drink out of. I'm waiting until they leave to see the damage of the hot chocolate. At least I have brown carpet.
Again, over all it wasn't too bad. My tree was unharmed. No major injuries. No fights. Lots of good manners. I think the birthday boy had a good time. And all of these boys are welcome in my home again, just one at a time.