A Little Bubbly With Littles

I love champagne. This is something friends and family all know about me. I love it at a special occasion (like a wedding or holiday) and I love it with a pizza. I find the entire flavor and experience of a glass of champagne to be nothing less than celebratory. And, let's think about it, having done a brief stint tending bar when I was 22, I can tell you that people don't "drown their sorrows" in champagne. It's a happy beverage. The very words associated with champagne-- bubbly, effervescent, sparkling-- are joyful. I also love the presentation of champagne. Nobody chugs champagne out of a can or a plastic Solo cup (well, I'm sure somebody somewhere does, but it's not common...). Champagne is served up in elegant, glistening flutes. I love those too; in fact, I collect them... everything from clearanced Pier One to Waterford.

All this to say it should come as no surprise that our New Year's Eves always involve champagne. Well, every New Year's Eve that is except 2004 (pregnant with my son), 2005 (just gave birth to my daughter and, um, things were a tad crazy), and, now, 2008 (pregnant with our third). But that doesn't mean we can't replicate that same effervescent joy in other ways!

Sparkling grape juice filled in this year, providing a safe alternative for pregnant me and a kid-friendly drink to share at supper! Our son opted for straight purple grape juice since he refuses anything with any kind of fizz (I am, for the record, completely okay with this since I can't stand seeing preschoolers drink soda...)

You'll get a taste of our kiddos' personalities here:


A, cooperative little ham, happily drank his grape juice and handled his "wine glass" like a champ...


C, stubborn and determined little rebel, really didn't like the sparkling juice but refused to give up her glass so we could replace it. She spent the entire "toast" looking like this...


Their daddy and I shared our toast shortly before midnight when our kids had been tucked in for a good four hours or so...

Cheers.

And Happy New Year.

To see how others rang in the New Year with little ones, visit Life As MOM!