Best Laid Plans

So Nate and I have a running joke that despite being adventurous, fun-loving people, we have yet to pull off an exciting New Year's Eve.

Our first year together, we had only been married for about three months, and had just experienced a very busy year, with lots of travel, lots of parties and get-togethers and lots of spontaneous adventures. We decided to just stay home, which was a first in our adult lives for both of us.

The second year, we had just had a baby and were exhausted. We didn't even make it until midnight. 

And last night, well, we had good intentions at least.

Many months ago, we started joking that this NYE would be the best ever. We were going to get a sitter and go out and party like people without kids. We were going to visit with my awesome aunt who was here from New York City, then head to dinner, where we had reservations with a group of friends, then a party at a home overlooking the city lights. 

Well, naturally, Maddux had other plans.

He started throwing up at Whole Foods, while a group of us were sitting and chatting over coffee. Then again on the car ride home. And once more when I put him in the bathtub. Seven times in five hours. Needless to say, he was pitiful. But in between each episode, he would run around and play. He acted like he wasn't sick at all, which led us to believe we actually might still be able to go out that night. Maybe he had just eaten something that didn't sit too well in his tummy. My parents were going to watch him. My dad is a medical professional, my mom raised eight kids. He'd be in good hands. 

But I was really conflicted. Would I be a bad mom if I went out and left my sick kid? I mean, who does that? We didn't want to let our friends down, but obviously most importantly, we didn't want to let our son down. Should we stay or should we go? The answer to that question came when, after I was dressed in my pretty party dress, with make-up on and hair done, I bent down to pick Maddux up. He ran into my arms and threw up all over me. I mean in my hair and down the front of my dress. Looking back, I can't believe we even considered leaving him.

Thank God Maddux stopped throwing up about 8 pm. He got super sleepy, so we put him to bed. We even managed to watch a movie and kiss as the clock struck twelve.

We spent our night sleeping on a blow up mattress by our son's crib. We wanted to hear him if he started to choke while throwing up. A rookie parenting thing, I'm sure. But I got to bring in the New Year with my two favorite boys, even if we didn't quite have the big night that we expected.

Oh well. I suppose there is always next year.