Happy New Year

January 1, 2011 by jaklumen 13 Comments

If you’ve been reading along since VOX, perhaps you remember most years we go to First Night. If you haven’t been reading that long or can’t remember, there’s the link.

The camera has gone temporarily missing, so I have no pictures. Our involvement didn’t last long anyways.

The past few years or so I’ve just been going with the kids. This year was the first year I took my son. I vowed we would be there for the beginning of the children’s activities.

We were two hours late.

My son did okay for the most part, although he kept me running. I hate helicopter parenting, but as active as my children are, they’ll get into trouble otherwise. The main room (Gjerde Center 2) was a little too overstimulating for him, and he had a LOT of trouble whenever a bounce house had a line. He kept cutting the line, every time. Okay, okay, so he’s not yet four years old, but I called Cimmy and asked that she make a note in her PDA that we talk to his teacher about it. (I’ll have to review his last school report.)

[My son in school at four years old? Yes. He has a few developmental delays.]

My daughter was good enough either to watch him, so I could call Cimmy periodically, get a drink of water, etc., or she went to watch shows deeper in the room. She seemed to like the demonstration the dance team from my old high school put on.
Eventually we moved out to the lobby area, and he played in the bounce house there while my daughter waited in line for a balloon animal. (Hmm… there were a lot more of them this year.)

Someone in that line mentioned food, and I said aloud that would be a good idea. So after she got her “fishing rod” balloon hat, I had her keep an eye on Boy again, and I got some kettle corn in vendor-described “Froot Loop” colors and flavors.

I came back and after putting shoes on him, she disappeared. Since food and drink were not allowed in the lobby/atrium, I took him outside and we ate popcorn for a while on the steps.

Called Cimmy again. Fortunately we found Princess by the time we went back in. So then we got her a hot dog, chips, and something to drink. By now, she was crying that she was cold, so we went back to the car… but I warned them we’d likely be going home at this point.

She had a complete meltdown once we got into the car as she realized she’d forgotten her loot bag with a coupon for ice cream. *sigh* Her attitude improved once she’d had something to eat, but by then we were halfway home. This has become a regular occurrence– she melts down because she didn’t have enough to eat earlier in the day.

We got home and after *I* had something to eat, I snoozed for a while. Princess came for cuddles with Daddy for a little bit, but I dropped off to sleep and woke up minutes before midnight to see that she and Cimmy were watching the Aristocats at the desktop computer. After the movie was done and New Year’s wishes were exchanged, Cimmy finished up with the song and story for the evening after Princess climbed into bed.

Cimmy asked me to return to bed, but my sinuses are still swollen and so I refused.

And here we are. So how was things for you? Being on Pacific Time, I’m behind most everyone.