Cool Cousin Vince

There are three Vinces that I know of in the Codispoti family - Joe's grandfather, brother and cousin.  Cousin Vince is, of course, the cousin and this is always the way that I have heard people refer to him.  I have had to add the cool because he's now in his late 20's, living in LA, working on different tv shows and movies and what not.  He travels to all sorts of places, he looks cool and he is actually quite nice.  I like him.

We were all over at Rick's house (another Codispoti sibling) and got to talking about what constitutes "old".  Alexandria (yet another Codispoti sibling) had MANY, MANY thoughts on this subject and to sum it all up you are pretty much ALL old (she's 10).  Then Cousin Vince chimed in with if you can't stay up to midnight on New Year's Eve than you are old.........

Hmmmm.....

The gauntlet was thrown.

(Did I mention Cousin Vince doesn't have children?)

So this past weekend, on New Year's Eve, we were down in Columbus with 5 of Joe's siblings, their significant others and his mom (this would include my children also).  I was determined.  The others?  Not so much, I don't think they cared if they were referred to as old or not.  Unfortunately for Maria, Steve, Vince and Colleen their beds were the "party area".  It got to be 11:30 and at that point you might as well stay up..........MY thinking, apparently NOT everyone else's thinking.  But we made it - the six of us - to midnight (the others were happily sleeping through the midnight celebration in their more private sleeping quarters.  I believe I heard Colleen mutter something about having to rethink this next year.

So, there, I am not old.

But I am tired.  Exhausted, in fact.

Did I mention before that Cousin Vince didn't have children?  Because maybe when you don't have children 12:00 isn't late.  But when you are in Columbus (an area, a house, really, where my children are NOTORIOUS for not sleeping) and your 2 year old keeps waking up in the middle of the night after you have only been asleep for an hour or so you start to feel oh so old and tired and cranky and start to wish you went to bed at a decent hour.  Francesca was having issues with "monsters" and the "dark" and wanted "the beautiful light on" (I not sure if this is more a commentary of the beauty of Uncle Anthony and Aunt Kayla's lamps or the condition of our own at home).  At 6:00 we got her off her air mattress because all 5 of us were sleeping in one room and we were hoping to keep at least 2 people asleep.  We tried to get her to sleep in our bed - no go.  Finally we turned on a movie on the portable dvd player.  Fia got up and decided to join the fun.

It was SO not fun.

But you know what?

My husband rocks.

He took both girls into the small closet that was in the room and watched Curious George with them as I got a bit more sleep.  I have NO IDEA how they all fit in there or how my dear husband managed to drive home.  Well, actually, that I do know........he would rather drive on very little sleep than EVER, EVER let me take the wheel.  IT MAKES HIM VERY TENSE when I drive.

So Cool Cousin Vince..............you might be right.  I might be old.

And, again, girls...............choose wisely, choose a man such as this.  One who stays with you through the night, takes care of you in the morning and does so without you ever asking.

Happy New Year Everyone!