A Perfect Ten

It was a premature celebration (he was born on August 31^st) but one that had to unfold  before the start of school, big brother’s return from Catalina Island and summer’s official ending … Please welcome … Daniel’s 12^th birthday! Yes, for the first time we caved and hosted a slumber party with thirteen buddies, sleeping in pitched tents and each doing a stellar job as energetic-competitive-sweaty preteen boys. It doesn't sound like a dream party to me, but was a hit with this crowd.

 

They played a game called Bigger or Better. Splitting them into two teams,  they started with a paper clip and knocked on doors asking if they could have something bigger or better. Trading up and up until the game ended in 45 minutes, the Red Team won, returning with an 18-inch flatscreen TV with broken DVD player. The Black Team did great also, but stopped early, satisfied with a ginormous working nerf gun ... boys!

"Daniel Bingo” was our wind down before our BBQ dinner and then flashlights were handed out at dark. On our street, they played Flashlight Tag and Ghost in the Graveyard until a cake break. Daniel requested an ice cream cake with mint chocolate chip ice cream, and chocolate cake. Of course, I obliged and created a custom cake topper for this kid who soaks up the Military Channel like a dry sponge.

After all that? You think these kids would collapse. No! Cue “The Sugar High”. At 10:30, they watched Hunger Games (a surprisingly good movie with macabre story line) eating Fire Hot Cheetos, peanut butter pretzels and carrots. I feel like Overboard sharing food details. I can't help it, it must be in the Italian genes :0) 

After the movie, our den rug was floating in a sea of crumbs only The Weiner Sisters and my niece-dog, Cinco, could appreciate.

A pooped out Cinco

We played many games to tire these kids out. Try as we did, they still had to be shushed a few times, finally sleeping about 3AM. At my age, going to bed at that horrendous hour is a bad sign. But to these sticky little dudes, it meant a fantastic night, an ideal celebration, or unintentional parent torture. You decide.

I hit the hay about 1:30 AM because I knew that chocolate-chip pancakes, homegrown oranges and thirty soon-to-be-scrambled fresh eggs were calling me after the five hours of sleep I devoured. It felt like fifteen minutes.

Those boys were up with the sun (an imposter “hen” was coca-doodle-dooing! Do you know what that means? Maybe  another rooster? Stay tuned) and running around having nerf gun wars as my Teckie and I worked like a well-oiled machine pumping out breakfast. Of course, with a little help with some friends.

We get by with a little help from our friends!

This whole shebang was a rare undertaking because of the required responsibility and energy.  Without a doubt, Daniel was worth every ounce of effort, gray hair and lost sleep.

Don't even think of blowing out my candles!

 After the last boy was picked up, we asked Daniel how the party went. He quickly answered “It was a ten! A perfect, ten out of ten!”

Wooo Hooo! Raise your soda and let's "cheers" to twelve years of Daniel (clink!).