New Year's Eve

For many of you are in the same boat as Chris and me when it comes to New Year's Eve. You have little ones and pretty much everyone else has a life on this night which leaves us to our own devices.

I wanted to do something to celebrate so Jack could really grasp the idea of a new year. He had watched the live Times Square feed throughout the day and asked questions. He knew that today it was 2011 and tomorrow it would be 2012. That he turned four in 2011 and turns five in 2012.

Anyways, I looked over a couple parenting websites and came up with a quick and easy way to celebrate before the stroke of way past bedtime.

We spent $19.95 this New Year's. And someday, someday, my family will get my enthusiasm for excitement and celebration. Sometimes I feel my excitement is all for not, but with every passing year birthdays and other celebrations are becoming worth my effort in their eyes. I bought blowers, balloons, hats, and silly string. I cut open some garbage bags, taped them to the ceiling, and filled them with balloons. We watched the celebrations in Tokyo, India, and Australia. Uncle Mark arrived (he was in town from Michigan) and had no clue that he was in for a PAR-TAY! We put the New York ball drop on from last year and rang in the new year roughly around 9:00. Jack and Chris pulled the balloon bags open, I shot everyone with silly string (Everyone else was rightfully terrified to shoot it inside the house. Hey, it turned out just fine.), and the kids were half terrified, half wanting to join in.

Millie we found out has a mini balloon phobia, Jack was terrified from the wetness of the silly string, Chris, Mark, and I were coughing from the alcohol smell from the silly string, it was a hot mess. We laughed, cleaned up, and sent the kids to bed. I think it was a decent first New Year's celebration for the kids. Hey, at least we did something, right?