It really wasn't just a bad idea that took on a life of it's own. I knowingly and willfully decided to have a cousins sleepover (that's the only kind I allow the boys:)). So, every boy cousin who lives in Utah and is sleepover age (potty trained and within a half hour of his own parents should a middle of the night return trip become necessary) came for a sleepover last night. There are eight boys in this house and one of mine is at scout camp this week!
All went rather smoothly last night, no one fought and everyone played. I accepted that they are in fact boys and it would not be quiet play. There was running, yelling, shooting, dying (which isn't necessarily a quiet thing if the one dying is bugged about the fake bullets and someone else declaring, "I killed you"). I put the little ones which consists of the four boys under the age of eight down for bed about 10:00. We discussed in detail how we do NOT get up at 5 am to play the Wii because that is the room the big boys will be sleeping in. Then I asked the big boys, (those over the age of eight) to go to bed around 11:30. And then my night began....
I was reading a book (of course) so I didn't mind being up but Carson came up at 11:45 in tears because he wants to sleep and they (big boys) are playing games. I generously suggest that he sleep in his room. Good plan, I put him to bed. Then, for the next FOUR hours my Carson had nightmares and every thirty minutes was up crying. I held him while sitting on the couch because after awhile it was just cruel to my system to tease it with thoughts of sleep for myself. finally I am headed to bed around 3 am. Still I'm doing OK, I'll get four hours of sleep. NOPE, the little boys are well rested and up for the day at 5:30 so that they get a turn playing on the Wii. I could cry. I surrendered.
Things to learn:
1. need more snacks, everyone was "starving to death" by 9:30.
2. need to throw away the pretend guns, (must include: nerf, rubber band, cheap silver cowboy, plastic machine, and any object like unto a gun!) way too loud at 5:30 in the morning!
3. Perhaps both sides of the family is overkill on cousin sleepover night.
4. mommy needs a really big nap before and after such endeavors.
Maybe the boys will have good memories and I can nap later.:)
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ReplyDeleteOops on the first comment....just practicing. What a hoot! I have a distant memory of a 'cousin sleep over'. I can recall playing games together. I can recall eating. I can recall sleeping in sleeping bags lined up on the gold colored shag carpet in the front room at Grandmother Heslops. BUT I don't recall ever having another 'cousin sleep over'. I guess this is a lesson learned every other generation or so? Keep writing...I enjoyed the chuckling.
ReplyDeleteI always slept over with my cousin Kim. We would play Barbie's all weekend. Good times! BTW you are a brave woman to have so many boys in your house.
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