My kids asked me a million times if they could stay up until midnight on New Year's Eve. Since I couldn't think of anything I would rather do than entertain three five year-olds for five hours past their bedtimes, except maybe entertain three sleep-deprived five year-olds the whole next day I said, "Of course you can stay up!"
When the celebrants heard the good news, they squealed at the top of their lungs and started doing laps around the living room. After they had run the equivalent of a marathon, they collapsed on the floor and asked if I had any cold drinks lying around.
As I handed the runners their refreshments, I pointed out that their party plans excluded one of their siblings. That was not only rude, I told them, but also unfair.
"The rule is 'everybody or nobody,'" I reminded them. "If you're going to have a party, then Cameron has to be invited too."
Everyone was fine with the plan until I clarified that I wouldn't be available to chaperone or babysit the youngest member of the family. This was strictly a "kids only" party. During the festivities, all of the adults in the house would be upstairs asleep in their beds.
"What are we supposed to do with HIM all night?" sneered Kellen as he pointed to the wiggly mass in the bouncy seat.
"Don't worry," said my husband reassuringly. "You'll have fun! Cameron is quite the night owl and like most other New Year's revelers, will probably puke at least once before the night is through."
The party animals (who love vomit, but only from a distance) weighed their options and decided (very wisely) that seeing the ball drop was overrated.
When the celebrants heard the good news, they squealed at the top of their lungs and started doing laps around the living room. After they had run the equivalent of a marathon, they collapsed on the floor and asked if I had any cold drinks lying around.
As I handed the runners their refreshments, I pointed out that their party plans excluded one of their siblings. That was not only rude, I told them, but also unfair.
"The rule is 'everybody or nobody,'" I reminded them. "If you're going to have a party, then Cameron has to be invited too."
Everyone was fine with the plan until I clarified that I wouldn't be available to chaperone or babysit the youngest member of the family. This was strictly a "kids only" party. During the festivities, all of the adults in the house would be upstairs asleep in their beds.
"What are we supposed to do with HIM all night?" sneered Kellen as he pointed to the wiggly mass in the bouncy seat.
"Don't worry," said my husband reassuringly. "You'll have fun! Cameron is quite the night owl and like most other New Year's revelers, will probably puke at least once before the night is through."
The party animals (who love vomit, but only from a distance) weighed their options and decided (very wisely) that seeing the ball drop was overrated.
Happy 2009.
Anyone do anything more fun last night than get puked on?
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Thank goodness Brennan is past that stage. I once got puked on three times in a row in one day. That was loads of fun.
Happy New Year.
I can't think of anything witty, but YOU are a genius! New Years is totally overrated.
We lived it up by watching the ball drop in NYC at 11pm Central Time. Then we went to bed!
When our kids were four and seven we told them they could stay up until midnight.
Then at 9:00 my husband went through the house and moved all the clocks up three hours. We all screamed HAPPY NEW YEAR and went to bed.
I married a genius. We like to list that as one of our finest parenting tips. Feel free to use it next year.
Ten years later (last night) we were in bed by 11:30. My daughter was living it up in our basement with her friends until five this morning. My son was in bed fighting the flu bug.
Happy 2009.
We watched Twilight Zone until 10 and went to bed. We know how to PAR-TAY!
I'm 9 weeks pregnant, so we went to bed before 10! Not before watching the Real Housewives of Orange County, though!
Sounds awesome. My husband and I went to a 90's themed party with a group of friends, and everyone dressed up in their best 90's outfit. I wore exactly what I would have worn in high school in the mid-to-late 90's. You can see our awesome outfits on my blog at http://aprincesaerica.blogspot.com/
Actually, I got puked on. Good times!
I watched the Kathy Griffin marathon on Bravo and fell asleep before 10. Good times!
We went to bed at about 11pm, only to be woken up by the frantic cries of our 2 year old. The neighbors were setting off very loud fireworks which scared my poor little guy. So, my wonderful husband slept upstairs until the little guy was calmed down and asleep (a full hour).
As a matter of fact, I was getting puked on by my 2 yr old last night... I tried to go to bed at 11, but she had other plans. By the time I cleaned up multiple episodes and finally got her to sleep, I watched the last 12 seconds before the ball dropped. How memorable. ;)
HW and I must have similar genius. We invited some friends over for dinner, and at 7:00 we did the whole "Happy New Year" countdown and yell. Everyone went home and put the kids to bed. It was one of the better New Year's Eve parties I've participated in.
But I did miss out on the puke that everyone else seems to have had. Am I doing something wrong?
You are not only the meanest mom, but also the smartest. I would have never thought up the things you do. You are my hero.
How come I cna't think of all these great ideas when I need them. You are the QUEEN of making it always seem like they got to do what they wanted to--simply amazing. I kneel at your feet.
We are in CA, but turned on MSN news channel at 9 to watch the ball drop in New York. The 4-year-old was happy that he got to see the New Year. I wonder how many years we can get away with this before he wises up or can tell time?
Oh - last night was great! We went to my sis-in-laws house where a bunch of us crazy adults and our kids partied all night! By 10 most if the couples had to leave b/c they couldn't stand the whining of the babies - out of my three two managed to stay up with their cousins until 1:30 AM! And me? I rocked it out on the Kareoke machine with my sis-in-law and friend, to tunes such as: Crazy in Love, Maneater, YMCA, and the like. All in all it made for a good night!
Your New Year's Eve sounds even better than mine! I stayed up past 12 doing nothing productive and didn't even see the ball drop because I was in Israel, whose time zone is 7 hours ahead of NY. Then I spent most of New Year's Day on an airplane. Nobody puked on me, though, so it wasn't too exciting.
Sounds like you guys had quite the party. Next year, let's all get together at my house!
I'm glad that I am not the only one who is completely against the idea of letting my kids stay up to ring in the new year. By 9 pm every night I am SO done with my darling children. So, I ended up grumpily roaming the house and putting down Christmas decor while my kids watched the Disney Channel for 3 hours straight. Then my charming husband tore himself away from his computer for the last 5 minutes of 2008.......and he wonders why I am such a party pooper. I really should have used the threat of a kids only party. Good idea.
Love that reversal in roles. That was pure genius.
Happy New Year. (great blog)
I don't know if this qualifies as more fun but we spent the hours of 12/31 6:30pm to 01/01 5:30am driving a rental car from Atlanta to Fort Lauderdale after a 10 hour transoceanic flight, due to no available flights and 'must be back or else' for a siblings wedding at 6:30/7:00 am on Jan 1. Yeah so much fun.
That baby of yours is absolutely darling! I know that's not what you asked about, but the picture of him just makes me smile... :)
We watched the Japanese television event of the year. Every year on New Year's Eve in Ole' Nippon, a multitude of people with bad hair sing their hearts out in wacky costumes on national television. The cheese factor is off the charts. The best part, of course, is not understanding the lyrics and creating our own. Now that's quality family time.
I should also mention that nobody puked.
I went to a party in the ice and snow and let my two 5 yr olds and one year old play in the basement until 12:30am then I took them home and carried them asleep through the sleet into the house. Definitely more fun than being puked on. My husband worked. He probably would rather have been puked on.
That picture of Cameron is DARLING.
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