Questionable Choices in Parenting
Laughing at life as a parent so they don't commit me
My New Year’s resolution is to go on a lot more date nights with my husband. However, the only problem with this resolution is that during these winter months, it’s just so cold outside and I don’t want to leave the house. But I’m sticking to this resolution and finding more time to spend with my hubby-even if it is freezing outside! So skip dinner and a movie for your next date night and try one of these fun winter date ideas.
This weekend Hubby and I celebrated six years of married bliss, or in reality, six years of love, passive aggressive fights, good times, awesome times, not so awesome times, and just simple life.
Every year I force him to watch our wedding video so I can ohhhh and awwww over every wedding detail I agonized over, my pretty dress, my tiny waist, can you believe he brought that horrible girl as his date, our first dance, my husband looking oh so dreamy in his tux, and those sweet vows. One part of the video that really caught my attention this year was not us cutting the cake to the silly song Adam Sandler sings at the end of The Wedding Singer, but the priest’s sermon about how a marriage changes through the years. So I got to thinking about the things that have already changed is six short years…
Lots of things change the longer you are married, but if the days you want to high five your husband or even kiss his face outweigh the days you want to punch him in the face, well now, that is some wedded bliss!
By 3:45 on Fridays, I have nothing left to give. Nothing! I am half the woman I was on Wednesday and a shell of the woman I was Monday morning. Before I took on the title of Stay at Home Mamma, I worked outside of the house and I really thought I understood the whole TGIF thing. But now it is TGIFAMHWBHTH- Thank God it’s Friday and my husband will be home to help-try putting that on a bumper sticker. However, this Friday was different. This Friday was special. This Friday was pretty epic. My mantra at 3:45 was TGIFAWHAB- Thank God it’s Friday and we have a babysitter!
As of late, our date nights have been few and far between. When we do make it out as a couple, we usually end up at a late dinner with me trying not to fall asleep in my sushi or at a movie that I am snoring at because, let’s be honest, no movie should start after 9:30 PM. You know the drill, you get a few precious moments out as a couple but spend the entire time talking about something hilarious, funny, or ridiculous one or both of the kids did that week– suckers.
No more of this nonsense! I refuse to have another sleepy date night this week. Not only was I getting a night of dinner and drinks with my Hubby, we were going out with my favorite gal pal and her husband! Super fancy! Watch out!
Remember when going out with another couple was easy breezy? Now it is a covert mission that takes strategic planning. Days before the big night out you need to coordinate all interested party members’ schedules.
Your babysitter will be there at what time? How long is the drive to this joint? How much traffic will you hit if you leave work early? Does this place serve wine?
I contacted my favorite babysitter and tried to bribe her to hang with my kids on Friday so Hubby and I could have a carefree evening. “Bring your boyfriend”, I told her, “just don’t make out on my couch”. On second thought, you can totally make out on my couch if it means I get free night with wine, adult conversation, and I get out of bed and bath duty. Just make sure the kids are asleep first.
Gone are the days of simply jumping in the shower, getting ready, and heading out the day. No, no no. In order to pull off this night, I needed to take some careful steps that actually took all day to fulfill:
When Mimi is really excited she does this crazy dance where she runs in place to show her joy. I busted out the same joyful running man dance when I heard the babysitter’s car pull up. We all jumped up and down and cheered “Ashley is here! Ashley is here! ”
When I walked out the front door, it was as if someone was blasting George Michael’s “Freedom” down the street. Come on, you know you want to sing. Go ahead.
As I was skipping (yes skipping) to my car, I sort of giggled about the days of being a new mom when leaving my kids killed me. Now I was all “peace out, tiny humans!” I waved to them in my rearview mirror.
Being out alone when you have small children at home is sort of like a science experiment. Even though you know your kids aren’t there, it still takes a while for the reality to settle in. You are still sort of tense because you expect to hear the scream of a pissed off kid in a high chair and when the food comes you start cutting it up in little pieces and blowing on it until you realize you are off duty tonight.
Fortunately, my gal pal and I are a hoot and we totally entertained our husbands with out witty remarks and loud stories–or that is how it seemed after a few glasses of wine. The food was good, the company was great, and the kids were asleep like little angels when we got home. What more could I ask for on a Friday night (my kids to sleep in on Saturday)?