Razzle Dazzle, Date Night Y'all

Last night was a much needed date night. Eric and I sometimes just need to go out for a meal, take our time and enjoy each other. Our girls got to spend some time with their grandparents and they get the benefit of growing up in a home with two parents who are very much in love with each other. Win-win.

When Eric got off from work we dropped the girls off with my parents. We then headed to the pharmacy to fill Cordelia's prescription (bronchitis), a romantic start to the date.

Next we went out for a drink. We sat at a table, we talked. We took our sweet time. When we were done with a drink we headed out for some Thai.




My date, Eric (please excuse the camera phone photos)




Eric's date, me


We had a great time. We didn't inhale our food, other parents know what I am talking about here. My mother sent me a pic of the girls so we'd know all was well. Read about their night here.

When we were done we gathered our sweet girls who had enjoyed a very fun night with their grandparents. We went home, put them to bed and then we enjoyed some Walking Dead on Netflix. Simple, yet wonderful!

Date Night

Eric and I recently had our first date together since Elise was born. I swear it was like three days ago that we were here with Cordelia. I suppose this time around it was a bit easier. I knew my parents would be fine, absolutely fine. I knew Cordelia was ready for us to hit the road, eager to play with her grandparents. Elise seemed cool with the whole business and I told myself that this is the exact way that my parents are able to forge such close relationships with the girls.


Cordelia has taken to wearing a princess tiara...apparently there is no fighting it.

So, with that in mind we left to go on a double-date with our friends Josh and Sarah. We drove to the restaurant and talked along the way. All was silent in the back seat. Cordelia wasn't requesting a Sparks song for the zillionth time and Elise wasn't screaming (she HATES riding in the car). We were just free to talk and it was weird and so good. Our relationship is the cornerstone of our whole family so we make it an absolute priority every single day, but sometimes a date is just the ticket.



We arrived a bit early and just enjoyed a few moments of still conversation. While we both love being parents it is certainly a rare treat to just sit and linger over a meal, a drink, a conversation. We soaked it up!







Sarah and Josh arrived and the evening was lovely and relaxing. We all just took it slow. We talked. We laughed. We had a drink. We had some food. We lingered. Thanks to a few texted photos from my mother  we weren't worried about the girls.

When the double-date concluded we were so ready to get back to our girls and hear, from Cordelia, about all of the fun they'd had. We pulled up and walked to my parent's front door, holding hands---a rare luxury. We climbed the stairs and all was well. Elise was snoozing in my mother's arms. Cordelia was wearing her footed Pjs and snuggled up in the recliner with my father. Perfect night!

Surprise Date

Yesterday was a lovely day. Cordelia and I spent lunch with my parents and youngest brother. We came home and Cordelia took a nap. While she slept I sipped on my decaf soy latte and did some work, occasionally texting my husband sweet or ridiculous notes (I do this every day--not just on Valentine's Day). Shortly after Cordelia woke up I received a text from Eric suggesting that I get dressed up. I assumed that we'd be having a fun dress up night at home.

So I wandered upstairs and looked down at my burgeoning belly and into my closet filled with adorable fitted dresses and sighed; I'll see those dresses again in the fall. I pulled out my cutest and most comfortable maternity dress. I got dressed and put a red flower in my hair, matched my lipstick and jewelry.

Cordelia realized that I was getting dressed up and wanted to join in the fun. She chose her outfit which mostly worked (see pictures and read about her evening here). Just then we heard the telling sound of the garage door opening as Eric pulled in from work. He came upstairs and revealed that he had a surprise date for us and that we had to hit the road. He had arranged for my mother to watch Cordelia (Don't worry she and my father had pre-celebrated Valentine's Day). Cordelia was thrilled with the arrangement.

We were out of the house in a flurry. We dropped Cordelia off with my kind mother and were out the door and headed to some unknown destination. I had no idea where we were headed or what we would do and I loved it. I so rarely have the opportunity to be surprised by things, so this was quite a treat!



We ended up at a candlelit Italian restaurant downtown. Eric had made reservations in advance and even had them deliver a rose to me at the table...such a romantic!



We had a lovely evening. We talked. We watched the other couples, young and old. We ate too much food. We chuckled about our very overwhelmed waiter. It was wonderful! I was completely caught off guard by his sweet and thoughtful gesture, it made my day!











After dinner we picked up a bouquet of orange tulips for my mother (just her style) and Eric had to get Cordelia a little gift as well and went to pick up our little Valentine. We went home and finished off a relaxing evening. Cordelia snuggled with her father for a bit before bed. Then he and I spent some more time talking before I had to call it a night. Couldn't have asked for a more lovely day!

Life is Good

Yesterday afternoon I was puttering around the house, picking up as Cordelia enjoyed an afternoon snack/ shared it with Bumblebee. My husband sent me a text wondering if there was any chance that my parents might be free to hang out with Cordelia for a couple of hours because he wanted to take me out for a date. A few texts later it was settled. Impromptu date night!

For the record most spontaneity goes out the window when you become a parent. There are naps, clothing changes, meals, winter clothes, sunglasses, snacks, entertainment, etc.---all need to be planned in advance and planning is the death of spontaneity.

I hardly knew what to do with myself. I grabbed a couple of things, packed Cordelia a dinner and then loaded up the girls (Bumblebee is one of the girls) into our car. We drove out to the museum where Eric curates.



We passed antelope grazing in the last rays of daylight. I pulled up in front of Eric's work and resisted the urge to do donuts in the museum parking lot while he locked up and met us. Cordelia cheered a happy greeting. Bumblebee chimed in with a joyful nasal whine and we hit the road.



We took the back way to my parent's house as the sun was setting on another winter day in Wyoming. The view was beautiful as the light laid golden rays across the dried grasses and crusted snow.

When we arrived at their house Eric grabbed Bumblebee and I grabbed Cordelia in the unspoken dance that is our life. We entered through the front door and there were a few moments of pandemonium as the dogs noisily greeted each other. Cordelia was thrilled to see her grandparents as they are really good grandparents---really good. We left her to play for two hours with my parents as we headed out to enjoy a little time to ourselves.



We drove downtown and ended up at a new to us restaurant. We checked their menu to make sure there was something vegan for us and then we took a seat in the nearly empty restaurant.



We took our sweet time. Reminding ourselves to eat slowly , parents tend to shovel it down, we talked about art and our plans for the future. We made each other laugh, we enjoyed our moment together. It was wonderful.



After dinner we hopped back into our car and drove back to my parent's house to gather our troops. When we walked in the door, there were sounds of dogs joyfully barking and a 2 year old giggling with her grandfather as they watched the crazy dogs play. We hung out for a bit, chatting and enjoying the moment with family.
Life is good.

Noodles and Coversation

Last night we dropped our kids (Cordelia and Bumblebee) at my parent's house. Have I mentioned how much I appreciate living in the same town as them? Eric and I hopped into the car and headed out for a much needed date. I remember in our pre-baby days we would often speculate about how weird it was that couples would plan date nights. We wondered why they weren't spontaneous, or why every day couldn't be a date day. We get it now.



We were so thrilled for an evening to ourselves, a little time to talk and laugh and give each other undivided attention. We went out for a glass of wine (me) and beer (him) at a pub downtown. We sat in the back by the unused pool tables. We were able to talk and talk, in the background we could hear other pub goers laughing with a little more enthusiasm as the evening wore on.



After that we decided it was time to grab a bite to eat. We held hands as we walked through the rainy windy weather, mostly oblivious to it. I don't know about you, but it is the small things like holding hands that really make me happy. Usually we are toting so many things that we don't get to just hold hands. We meandered through an alley and around the corner of our small Wyoming downtown (3 blocks is the size, and not city blocks). We had a couple of dinner options...we could do Chinese or Italian. Deciding upon an Italian restaurant with a few vegan options we opened the door into the warm interior, pressing it closed against the wind and shivering as we patted ourselves to warm up. We were seated and the conversation continued to flow. We laughed,we had a great time--it was wonderful. We both ate approximately our own weight in noodles and veggies.

Finally we paid our bill and went out to the car, where I received a phone call from our girl it went like this:
Me: "Hi Cordy girl."
Cordelia:" Hi Momma."
Me: "How are you doing?"
Cordelia:"Doing well."
Followed by fumbling and toddler breathing and then a hang up.

We drove through the cold and wet streets as the heater blasted. Eric tried to turn it down, but I insisted on keeping that baby cranked. He turned the vents toward me. I think he planned to smoke me out, but I basked in the heat like a cat in the sun.



We continued to talk about art and inspiration, the future, now. We were reminded of so many rainy nights that we've spent together in so many places. When we turned into my parent's driveway we were both eager to see our girl and hear what funny things she'd been up to. You can read about that (here).

How do you find time for yourself?