Jack's 9th Birthday Sleep UNDER

You guys!  A Sleep UNDER birthday party is GENIUS and ideal for kids who want to invite the whole class, which would be really unwieldy for a sleepover (not that the whole class could come, but still, we had 9 which is more than I would like to have for a sleepover.)

As soon as Jack got home from school, we ran to the Dollar Store (my new party planning mecca) for supplies and balloons-- he picked out giant fingers that said "You're #1!!" which was awesome.

We paired them with DQ gift cards-- easiest favors EVAR 

And got right to work setting up the basement with a movie candy bonanza and bags of popcorn (the Dollar Store did not have cute popcorn bags-- I should have swung by Party City, but, alas.  You know what they did have?  40 lunch bags for a DOLLAR!  I freaking love the Dollar Store  Also, you bet I took the tape off that $1 banner and put it away for our next party).

 His friends came-- 7 little boys and 2 girls, and things were IN FREAKING SANE for a few minutes.

 But then the pizza came, and we turned on the movie (Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life), and some of them watched it and some of them played Nerf guns in the toy room.

 Dorothy and I snagged some Whoppers and popcorn and watched the 1985 classic Care Bears movie in my bed.

 Then it was CAKE TIME

 The sparkler candles freaked me out, obvs.

 Cooper didn't have a seat.  He didn't mind.  He came home from soccer practice at about 7:15 and was pretty tired.  But he took a bath and put on his jammies and triumphantly joined the big kids midway through the movie and didn't cause a second of trouble.

 Cake is always a hit.

 As are presents.  It was an excellent little birthday.

 And?  He's already written all of his thank you notes and delivered them-- half on bike on Sunday and the other half at school today.  He's the best.