Happy New Year!

We enjoyed a quiet evening at Pa Dave's. We watched some movies, we played hot dice and when midnight rolled around the kids banged on pots and pans to welcome in the new year. Then Jacob promptly had an emotional break down. My poor tender heart. He and I went into the library to have a quiet moment to talk about what was upsetting him.

Me: What is wrong sweetheart?
Jake (Through the tears): I am just so worried about making a resolution.
Me (Stifling the laughter that insists on welling up during these moments): What? Why?
Jake: I don't really know what a resolution is! *sob, wail, sniffle*
Me: Oh honey. It just means that you decide something you want to do this year and what to do to accomplish that goal.
Jake: Oh. Okay. Well then, I want to learn to be a better golfer.
Me: That sounds like a resolution that Pa Dave would like.
Jake: And I want to try canoeing.
Me: *repressed snort* Well, naturally. Another excellent goal.

This led to an entirely different discussion about how that would most likely be something he would get to do in a year or so when he goes into Cub Scouts. And how he was nervous to go into Cub Scouts. Which led to a discussion about the expression "borrowing trouble". Which ended ultimately with his fear of Brian and I dying and leaving him to face these new experiences alone. (Has anyone written a book about How to Help your Overly Analytical 6 year old Cope with Death and Grief? Because I am feeling entirely inadequate for the job.) Needless to say I was no longer laughing, and we spent quite sometime just holding each other and crying for the pains and fears of this life. But eventually we both calmed down to the point that we could join the rest of the family for the traditional New Year's Eve toast with sparkling cider. Guess what? Lila likes it.



Of course after this we were ready to load up and head home. While Jake was gathering his toys and clothes I was explaining what had taken us so long to talk about. Which left all the grown-ups teared up and smiling. But Jake came back a tad too soon, when he saw me crying again, he was off again. Well, Evie wasn't about to be left out of any emotional display and I soon had two over-wrought children hanging off of me, sobbing for all they were worth. Lila fussed a little, but mostly because I didn't have free arm for her. So that was how we rang in the New Year, sobbing, hysterical, and more then a little overwhelmed. I am thinking it can only go up from here...