What are your New Years Eve plans?

[Mommie2MadLyn]

Just curious what others will be doing to celebrate! I know it is probably one of the toughest nights of the year to find a babysitter, so what are you all doing?

DH has to work, so Madison and I will be going to a small party at a friends house. Nothing too exciting.

[psophia17]

We will be hosting the First Annual Bill & Petra New Year's Eve Dinner Party. We decided to do this because we didn't want to find a babysitter, and since all of the plan options involved the same group of people, we figured why not invite them over?

I'm still looking for ideas on a second appetizer and a dessert, and for an alternative to the 20 lb rib roast that DH wants to cook up - any ideas?

[amazz]

One of my really good friends from college is getting married on Friday so we are going to celebrate with her! The wedding is at 8 and then the reception will last until we ring in the New Year. I think it will be lots of fun and Kami is coming with us so no need to find a baby sitter.

Angela
Mama to Kami Allyse (10/10/04)
A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg

[steph2003]

Neighbors across the street are having a party - 70s/Retro theme. My DH refuses to dress up & at this point I'm not sure if I have the energy to scrap up costumes coming off the craziness of Christmas. We'll probably stick DS upstairs in a pack n play unless the slight chance our monitor reaches over there (please don't call social services on me!) Best part is no driving involved. Even though we aren't heavy drinkers New Year's Eve makes me nervous with the other crazies on the roads.

[babymama]

We'll be on our way to Los Angeles (from TX)! We land late at 9:30PM, so we'll be just settling into the guest room at my friend's house by the time midnight rolls around. We'll bring a bottle of champagne along with us for celebrating. Not planning on staying up too late bc we're headed to the Rose Bowl parade early in the AM.

Lydia
Mama to Santiago, born 11/16/03

[g-mama]

We'll probably curl up with some snacks and wine and a movie after the kids are tucked in. Not too exciting, but that's become our New Years tradition for the past 4 years.


Kristen
Paolo 11-00
Benjamin 8-03

[rottiemom]

I've decided to use New Year's eve as an excuse to roast a goose. I love to cook & this gives me an excuse to pull out all of the stops. It's expensive but much, much cheaper than going out on NYE. We'll break out the china & crystal & the little guy can join us in our celebration. The best part is that if I can't manage to stay awake until midnight I don't have to. Plus I can actually have champagne if I want this year as opposed to last when I rang in the new year with a glass of frothed warm milk.

Nina

[kalebsmama]

Last year we got together with neighbors who have kids the same ages, and played Scrabble. Once your turn was over, you got up to entertain the kids then came back to the game when it was your turn again! Made for a long game, but it was fun.

This year, they are out of town and DH is on call so we will probably just stay in and watch a movie after the kids are in bed. DH won't even make it to midnight since he has to be at work at 7am on the 1st. I'll probably turn in early too since I'll be getting up early with the kids.

Sounds pretty boring, huh? At least we won't have to worry about drunks on the roads.

[cchavez]

My parents are in town so they will "babysit" Diego while DH and I go out to dinner. We are going to our new favorite restaurant Jaspers.....really nice ambience but not too frou frou! Great food and drinks!! We will probably be home by midnite.

[amp]

We are so boring! We never do anything for New Years, and frankly, I like it that way. Sometimes we stay up to watch the ball drop, sometimes not. We just take it easy and relax and snuggle on the couch. That is what we will do again this year. We are going to wish for a baby in the new year!

[amazz]

>We are going to wish for a baby in the new year!

Aww that is so sweet! I wish that for you too, Andrea!!

Angela
Mama to Kami Allyse (10/10/04)
A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg

[brigmaman]

>We are so boring! We never do anything for New Years, and
>frankly, I like it that way. Sometimes we stay up to watch
>the ball drop, sometimes not. We just take it easy and relax
>and snuggle on the couch. That is what we will do again this
>year. We are going to wish for a baby in the new year!

We will follow that routine as well. I'll put in my wishes for you this year! ;)

[StaceyKim]

We are going to a neighbors house for a party. I am happy to get out but glad I will only be down the street. I hate being on the road during New Years Eve.

[barbarhow]

In our annual fashion...we are staying in on NYE and will likely be asleep by 9p. Yup. Real partiers here. We are having a small dinner party on Saturday night. We toyed with the idea of doing it NYE but then DH had the bright idea that people would want to stay until midnight and beyond. Yikes!

[hez]

One of two things: Either we start the night couple #1's house and finish at family #2's house, or we spend the whole night at family #2's house. Couple #1 has no kids, but there will be a few coming for Payton to play with. Family #2 has kids, toys, etc. to make it easy for Payton (if he's still awake!), and we've rung in the new year with them for the last 6 years. I can't imagine not ringing it in with them!

The more I think about drunks on the road, the more I think we'll be smarter to go with the second option-- less driving overall.

Oh, and we're sharing Andrea's wish ;)

[C99]

We're going to spend the night at our best friends' house. The kids will all stay up too late and then go to bed, the adults will play boardgames and my best friend and I will stay up until 5 minutes after midnight and the boys will "geek out" together. We did this last year and it was really fun.

[C99]

Petra,

Pork loin? I've hosted 2 NYE dinners (2001, 2002) and both times served roasted pork loin. A 3-pounder serves about 6.

[LD92599]

We've got early reservations @ Morton's Steakhouse (myself, DH, DS, Mom, Sis, BIL, FIL, GFIL). Of course, our reservations are 5pm so we'll be out by 7 or so. A few towns are having early "family friendly" fireworks at 7:30, so we may catch those as well.

Laura
mom to William
3.5.2003

http://homepage.mac.com/ld14m

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030305/0/7/0/-5/.png[/url]

[marinkitty]

We are staying in too. I'm going to make cheese fondue (a tradition with us every time we've stayed in for the past 9 years) and we'll probably get a couple of movies. I doubt I'll make it until midnight this year with no champagne and our little five thirty a.m. alarm clock!

Holly
Mom to Mia (3.17.03)
Another March baby EDD (3.22.05)

http://lilypie.com/days/050322/0/0/1/-6/.png

[DDowning]

We were originally planning on taking Carson to Legoland for their mini NYE party that they have for the kids during the day. Right now however, we're playing a wait and see to make sure this stomach bug he has goes away first. If not, we just might be boring and stay home.

[Marisa6826]

Lactating, burping a newborn, changing dipes...

Exciting, huh? ;)

-m

[crayonblue]

I think I will be asleep! Oh, how old I am!

Few years ago, DH and I went to Times Square for New Years Eve. Loads of fun but we froze our butts off.

[aliceinwonderland]

I'm staying in for the first time in my entire adult life, and I'm not very happy about it. No place to leave Erik.

To make up for it, we're going to Atlantic City 2 days after.

[Kimberly H]

NYE is official junk food night. Bagel Bites, Jeno's Pizza Rolls, chips and dip, chips and salsa, chocolate milk, oreos, etc. Awful, huh? This is actually a leftover from my ex's family and we all love it, sooo...

I've never been "out" on NYE - I always babysat as a teen/young adult and then had Drew at 21 so that was that!

[jk3]

Staying in also. We are going out on Saturday night but we can't get a babysitter for New Year's which is fine. We might get together with our neighbors on the earlier side but that's about it. We didn't make it until midnight last year!

Jenn
DS 6/03

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030603/2/5/1/-5/.png

[McQ]

We have reservations at Morton's too - but later. We're going out with 2 other couples we pal around with. But I want DH & I to go out a little earlier to have drinks just the two of us kind of like date night. It's been too long that we've been out together like that.

And hopefully we'll be able to swing by Cindy's (cinrein) who is hosting a little get together.

All that and I'll still be in bed asleep by midnight and liking it.

Allison
~ mama to Declan 3.24.03 and Meghan 8.26.04

[LD92599]

Allison:

i assume you're going out sans kids though!!!! I'm thinking now that I'll be spending the time walking the mall where Morton's is rather than actually eating IN Mortons! I'll just be sure everyone gets my Godiva dessert to go!

Laura
mom to William
3.5.2003

http://homepage.mac.com/ld14m

http://lilypie.com/baby2/030305/0/7/0/-5/.png[/url]

[kensjen]

Looks like we are staying in as well. I am actually looking forward to it. A nice quiet night at home. I'll have DH build a fire, and maybe we will make s'mores. Yum!!

And total junk food night! I have pizza rolls, all kinds of snacks, cookies, chocolate...DH wanted to do it up, since he is starting back on weight watchers Jan 1. So I did one last "bad" trip to the grocery.

Hopefully we will get to sleep in a bit on the first, and then stay home and watch movies. Jonah is loving all of his new toys, so he will be very distracted with all of them. Happy 2005 to everyone (a bit early, but who knows when I will get back on here!!)
(****OK, who am I kidding? I will be here even more when DH is home to watch DS!!!!****LOL LOL)

[mamaturk]

We will be going over to my sisters house for a low key celebration. It's a lot more fun then having to stay home and we get to bring DD with us... no need for a babysitter! Tracey, we wish you were coming home.. and Trish, you're not going to join us this year???!!!

[JElaineB]

I'm another one who stays in and makes appetizers to eat from dinner onward. I'm sure I'll be in bed by the usual time of 10-10:30, as DS will be getting up at his usual time. We haven't gone out since 2000 (should have in 2001 I guess before DS came on the scene!) New Year's Eve is my birthday so I pretty much get to do what I want, and staying in is fine with me. I might even make myself a cake!

Jennifer
mom to Jacob 9/27/02

[lizamann]

I am so not a fan of going out on NYE, but DH is. My idea of a good time is what you all have listed - staying in, maybe with close friends, eating junky food, banging on pots and pans at the right time...

But we have actually hired a babysitter and will be eating at Topolobampo, a gourmet Mexican restaurant. I think the babysitting will cost as much as the meal! I don't really get it - we could eat there at a more reasonable hour, with MUCH more reasonable babysitting fees, any other day of the year. But I do it for DH and try not to seem like an ingrate.

[lmintzer]

Beth,
Topolobampo is supposed to be excellent! DH wants to go for his b-day in Feb. Scary that we're talking about going out in late FEB. when it's still Dec! We have no more babysitting any more, so getting out is near impossible.

As far as New Year's is concerned, we're doing pretty much nothing. Nada. We're both feeling pretty blah right now about having to put our house on the market, our upcoming move this spring, and ds#1's health problems. We may go to some friends (with similarly-aged kids) for a 5:00 p.m. dinner and let the kids do a countdown. But we'll (for sure) be home by 7:00. Very exciting, I know.

[amazz]

I just read about all the food you are having--I'm so having that next year!!! My dairy-free tummy wants to celebrate with you this year though! ;)

Angela
Mama to Kami Allyse (10/10/04)
A baby is God's opinion that the world should go on. ~Carl Sandburg

[psophia17]

I'm making mini beef wellingtons - I decided on that and told DH to can the prime rib idea. The wellingtons are prepared ahead, all I have to do is stick them in the oven to cook when the guests arrive.

I'll experiment with pork loin next time - thanks for the tip!!

[jd11365]

Another junk food night here too! I buy a lot of the appetizers from Fridays... from the frozen food section in the grocery adn we have at it. Hopefully we'll make it to see the ball drop...every year DH falls asleep at 11:50!

...and I'll be making a little wish for you too, Andrea...

Jamie
Mommy to Kayla
May '03
http://lilypie.com/baby2/030501/1/0/1/-5/.png

[Kimberly H]

I'll send you the dairy-free version. On NYE it's like having Diet Coke with you dinner - the calories don't stick! ;)

[alexsmommy]

I'm beginning to realize just how NOT hip and cool I am. Not that I really thought I was even close anymore, but suddenly staying in with DH and DS sounds way better than going out. We had plans (very casual dinner with friends), but my sitter (Grandma) said she's not feeling 100%. My Dad's there so they said they would keep DS anyway, but I am worried about DS catching whatever my Mom is fighting. Not just for normal reasons, but because in spite of a crib in the spare bedroom at my parents, they can't handle hearing him cry so they let him sleep in their bed when he spends the night. I just have to laugh - they are so over the moon for DS. There was a twinge of disappointment, then I realized, I was FINE with staying home. So since it's 50 degrees warmer here in Chicago than it was one week ago, we are going to our local zoo for their light festival, then swinging by Blockbuster after and hour or so there. We have left over champagne from Christmas and will order in - probably a more expensive meal than we usually do. The fact that I am excited that I can wear jeans tonight is scary when I think of how far in advance I used to do my NYE outfit shopping...sigh. I am so a Mom.
Alaina
Alex 2-4-03

[JLiebCamm]

We had plans to go to a friend's party but after working all day and feeling all too ready to have this baby I couldn't imagine going out and being social. DH was fine with changing our plans. So he's out picking up takeout and I'm going to pick a DVD to watch. I keep hoping to go into labor tonight but time is running out!