Date Night

Last night, M and I had a date night. Our close friends and neighbors watched Will for us while we went out to an early movie and dinner. They have a two year old and Will is around them a lot, so it's just like another playdate, only minus me.

It is still so foreign for me to go someplace without Will. I can only compare it to leaving the house with a case of OCD. I am constantly feeling as if I have forgotten something. I keep going through a mental checklist. . . where is my cell phone? Keys? Wallet? Sunglasses? Oh, I have all of those things? What am I missing. . . oh, yeah, my baby!

Then a whole new checklist begins: Did I leave his jacket with them or is it still in the car? Will five diapers be enough (to last four hours, one should hope so!)? Did I leave enough food (believe me, there was enough to feed ten Wills)? Will she remember he can't have dairy (again, a very close friend that I talk to every single day who certainly knows that he can't)? Is my phone on vibrate AND loud ring?

It was finally after a drink and part way into our meal that I was finally able to start really relaxing. It was nice to sit and talk with M, even though our conversations drifted towards Will. We did talk about other things as well, and I think it would be weird if we didn't talk about our son at all!

After our dinner, we went out to a movie (though I did have to turn the cell phone to vibrate only). It was the first movie we had been to since I was in the second trimester. I got too uncomfortable to sit for that long as my pregnancy progressed. I was like a little kid as we settled into our seats, almost giddy with the excitement of actually being in a theater. We even held hands and shared some movie candy. It truly began feeling like a date!

I was eager to get home to Will, but he didn't seem that excited to see us. It was clear that he had a wonderful time with his friend. They even had Will's favorite (spaghetti) for dinner! He finally crawled over to me for a hug, then wanted to give his daddy a hug, but then wanted down to play again. He was so tuckered out after his afternoon of playtime that he went straight to bed.

It was a very nice evening out and we have decided to make it a monthly occasion, with us taking their son the first Saturday of every month and them taking Will the second Saturday. I think it will be good for all of us. I think the only way I am going to get over that slightly panicked "What did I forget?" stage is to do it more often, to get out and enjoy some adult time, and let him have some indepent time as well.