First Night

Hey y'all - 

Every year for New Year's Eve, Missoula puts on a city-wide event called "First Night." If you're over the age of 7, you buy a button for $15 and from noon to midnight on Dec 31st, there are dozens of events you can attend. Even better, if you're under 7, the events are free. You can swim at the water park, ride a pony, go ice skating, meet the Cat in the Hat, see an insect exhibit, do an art project, hear a band or a choir, etc etc ad infinitum til the new year arrives. 

While Hagen took a nap, Laney decided on the pony ride, but "too wobbly" was the verdict on that activity.

Then, she asked, "That was fun, but you know what I'd REALLY like to do?" Note to grandparents and friends: If Laney ever asks you this, know that 100% of the time, the answer is going to be "Eat at a restaurant." She loves sitting at the table and looking at the menu and ordering for herself and acting like a grown-up...and if you can throw quesadillas in that mix, well, it's like the second coming of Christmas. 

Next we went to the insect exhibit at the University, where we looked at the giant cockroaches for about three seconds before deciding we were over insects. 

And finally, the two of us went to a modern dance performance on campus. As the lights were going down in the theatre, we had this conversation:

Laney: Are there going to be monsters?

Mom: No, just dancers.

Laney: Are the dancers going to pretend to be monsters?

Mom: No.

Laney: Are you sure?

Mom: Ssshhh - the show's about to start. Stop worrying about monsters. 

Laney: There had better not be monsters. 

Then I prayed, "Dear Lord, let this not be a dance about monsters." And it wasn't. Worse, it was an interpretive routine about - I am not making this up - how much doing housework stinks. The dancers mimed everything from folding clothes to cleaning out a closet. Three minutes into this, Laney used her outside voice to ask, "WHEN ARE THEY GOING TO START DANCING?"

We left that performance early. 

By then, Hagen was awake from his nap, so the boys joined us at the University where you had a great time running willy nilly on campus. 

Later in the afternoon, Grandma Sue came over to hang out with you guys for a few hours so your dad and I could go on our big New Year's Eve date. I'd like to say we put on our formalwear and sashayed down to the ball where we drank champagne and laughed and danced til the new year arrived...just like The Great Gatsby, but fancier. I CAN'T say that, of course, because we threw on sweatshirts at 5:00pm and went down to the local bar where we had sweet potato tater tots and were done around 6. When your dad and I were first dating in San Diego, we'd typically get back to his house after our dates by 8pm, which is when he'd announce to the rest of the condo complex: "We're done with the night, kids! You can have it!" So it's not like I didn't know I was marrying Mr. Excitement.  

Sometime between drinks #2 and #3, though, I decided it would be super fun to take some sparklers home to Laney and try to take some slow shutter speed pictures.

Of course my friends knew just where to send us, and I got my wish:

Kids were asleep by 8:30p, adults by 10p. Happy New Year, everyone!

Love,
Mom

P.S. We kicked off 2014 by going on a hike the morning of Jan 1, which is a little more our speed.