A wwyd?

[texmati]

This is not a big deal I know-- but I"d like to get other's opinions.

My uncle is coming into town today with his wife and daughter. Uncle is very sweet and has always bent over backwards and more to help us out/pick us up from the airport ect. There flight is landing at 8:30, and my dad is picking them up from the airport and taking them out to eat afterwords. They have invited us (DH, DS and I) of course.

The only problem is that DS has been going to sleep around 7, and only waking up about 3 times a night for the last week or so. Normally we aren't strict on schedules at all, but we'd like to keep the good mojo going for as long as possible. I know it's going to look awful if we don't go-- they came all this way, and I'd hate for them to think that we just couldn't be bothered to meet them.

WWYD?

[ASusan]

If they're coming back to your house and you will see them tomorrow, I wouldn't go out to eat tonight.

OTOH, if they're staying with someone else, or you otherwise won't see them this trip, then go out to dinner.

[GuildJenn]

The way we roll, we'd send one parent with pictures/video of DS and the other parent would stay home for bedtime. Pick up at 8:30 with dinner even later would pretty much guarantee us a massive meltdown that night.

If this is a very rare trip and truly the only chance to get together I might try alternate solutions, but generally we prioritize sleep.

[Boot]

You won't be eating until 9.30-10.00! I would never expect anyone to bring their baby or young child out to meet me so late. Your little guy will probably be tired and cranky if you do go. I honestly don't think uncle will be offended AT ALL. But could you pop into the restaurant for 1/2 hour to have a drink and say hi? Not sure if this works with distance and whether your DH can cope if your lo wakes up but it's a thought. Good luck.

[limabean]

I would leave DS home with DH and go meet everyone for dinner by myself. There's no way my kids would be any fun to be around in a restaurant at 10:00 at night.

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by limabean

I would leave DS home with DH and go meet everyone for dinner by myself. There's no way my kids would be any fun to be around in a restaurant at 10:00 at night.

Ditto.

[texmati]

disaster averted! the plane's delayed, so this was a non issue. I guess-- No one in my family has any small children anymore, so I guess I'm constantly wondering if bed time Is as big of a deal that I make out to be. Trying to figure out how to balance my sons needs/habits with everyone elses.

[ChristyMarie]

Originally Posted by texmati

disaster averted! the plane's delayed, so this was a non issue. I guess-- No one in my family has any small children anymore, so I guess I'm constantly wondering if bed time Is as big of a deal that I make out to be. Trying to figure out how to balance my sons needs/habits with everyone elses.

This is us as well. Everyone has forgotten what it is like to have a little one. We went along twice. And had two mega meltdowns. Now we leave early. Just the way it has to be.

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by texmati

disaster averted! the plane's delayed, so this was a non issue. I guess-- No one in my family has any small children anymore, so I guess I'm constantly wondering if bed time Is as big of a deal that I make out to be. Trying to figure out how to balance my sons needs/habits with everyone elses.

I strongly recommend "Sleepless in America" - it gives you the language you need to work through it.

[AllisonR]

Originally Posted by texmati

No one in my family has any small children anymore, so I guess I'm constantly wondering if bed time Is as big of a deal that I make out to be. Trying to figure out how to balance my sons needs/habits with everyone elses.

Ugh! Don't even get me started on this issue. Many people who don't have kids, or kids are grown, just do.not.get.it - even when you explain it to them. "Just for one night", "Just move their bed time up a few hours", "Well, we can eat at 8:30pm instead of 9:30, OK?"... The natural consequences of any of these is an exhausted, grumpy child, with a messed up sleep schedule for the next week. And who is dealing with these consequences? Certainly not the people who wanted you to just move a 6:30 bedtime up to 10:30! OK, rant over.

OP, glad it turned into a non-issue.

[laughingfox]

I guess I'm the odd one out- as long as it wasn't an overly loud place and it was non-smoking, I'd have gone.

My DDs have been pretty flexible as babies (so far!); we don't set bedtimes (except for during the school year), and they sleep just fine (if not better) in the sling, no matter where we are.
Every now and then, there might be a grumpy day and we might have to leave early, but that's the exception, not the rule.

[poppan]

I know disaster has been averted but for future events, here is my take:

If I had a baby who was still in a bucket car seat and who slept well in a bucket car seat, I might consider meeting them all for a late dinner because essentially my baby can sleep through it. But I also like the idea to have one parent go and one parent stay home with baby (assuming there are other opportunities to visit with baby during the visit)--I guess it all depends on how the baby sleeps. I honestly can't recall quite that far back (and it wasn't that far back, my kids are only 3 y.o. now) --the whole first year was just a total blur for me.

If baby would have to be roused out of sleep and schlepped in and out of a convertible seat, or if baby doesn't sleep well in a bucket seat, I would do the one parent home thing.

With a toddler I would stay home for sure.