New Year's Eve and Day

We had a nice New Year's Eve--we worked on New Year's hats, and then went on a little "hike" (to the woods so the kids could run around with some sweet friends.)  The rock that they are sitting on is called (according to Elsa and David) bed rock, and it is about a quarter of a mile along the trail.  And then,iIn my quest to keep the holidays going, for New Year's Eve we had an outdoor fire and some friends over for potato soup and s'mores.  It was fun--lots of small children running around a fire, eating marshmellows and wearing funny hats.  (The kids and I made New Year's Eve crowns in preparation--leaving some glitter out for the kids to decorate their own.  It was a success.)  David had not napped, and fell asleep in my arms at about 7:00, and it was so lovely.   I got to cuddle my sweetly sleeping not a baby anymore while sitting near  fire with other grown-ups, drinking wine and chatting.  Elsa and her friends were inside, playing complicated games involving fairies and the bunk beds.  Then bath, "Zlateh the Goat" by Isaac Bashevis Singer, and bed for my little girl.  (My mother always read that to us on Christmas Eve, and when I remember I check it out of the library around Christmas--Elsa actually thinks it is too sad--she is the most sensitive child.)  A perfect New Year's Eve, with all of us, including Jesse and me, tucked in by 10:00.   I would like to make it a tradition, but I am not sure that it would be feasible on a normally cold December 31st around here--we might need a much bigger fire or I would have to be okay with more people running through my house.

I had great plans for New Year's Day, which didn't work out exactly as I had hoped.  I did make black eyed peas and collard greens, but nobody but me really ate them...I thought it would be really fun to attempt another movie night...Jesse got the old Robin Hood (where Robin Hood and Maid Marian are foxes.)  I thought it would be great, but no...Elsa was completely overcome with sobs about halfway through, and didn't really recover enough to even eat dinner.  David fell asleep immediately--this transition to no napping has been fairly magnificent.  Elsa, however, needed about an hour of stories--we are reading Swiss Family Robinson, which takes a whole lot of translation, then she was ready for dinner and dessert--cranberry clafoutis, which will definitely be a New Year's tradition from here on out.

I haven't really made any New Year's resolutions or done any reflecting at all, really.  2011 was a good year, although we did have some struggles.  I am somewhat alarmed at how fast time seems to be going--it is one of those cliches that is a cliche because it is so true.  This is the year when Elsa will turn six, and David turn four.  This is the year when David will wean (although I have absolutely no idea how that will work).  And as exciting and delightful it is to watch these children grow into themselves, I wish it would all just slow down a bit.

And now, things are definitely feeling sort of slow and I am a little melancholy as I try to figure out what to do...there is plenty of cleaning and organizing to do, but I miss (sort of) the pace of the holidays where there is always something obvious to do.  I know we will regain a sort of rhythm, but I do struggle in this transition.