Last weekend, I almost forgot I was a Mom. Well, nearly.
For five hours on Sunday, my husband, Chris, and I skipped
around like giddy teen-agers, oblivious to whining dogs, clingy
fingers and baby drool.
Last weekend, I almost forgot I was a Mom. Well, nearly.
For five hours on Sunday, my husband, Chris, and I skipped around like giddy teen-agers, oblivious to whining dogs, clingy fingers and baby drool.
You see, I had the bright idea last week to leave our little Emma at Grandma and Grandpa’s house while we wiled away the afternoon.
The first thing we had to do was make sure our plan checked out OK with my parents. Of course, they were only too happy to entertain our little smiley one for an afternoon.
Next, I set up a game plan for our mini holiday. While Chris was content to let the day take us where it may, I wanted some method to our madness. After all, the last time we had a date night was three months ago. Who knows when we would block out another afternoon to play hooky?
So, I divided and conquered each hour, packing in as many activities as each moment could hold.
I chose a nearby shopping center, chock full of interesting shops and restaurants. It was far away enough from Gilroy that we would feel like were out of town, but close enough that we wouldn’t have to drive like maniacs to get home in time.
We had a lovely nosh at our first stop, a Parisian sidewalk café facing a pedestrian street encircled by upscale shops. If I took a sip of wine and closed my eyes, I could almost believe Chris and I were dining at a quaint restaurant in Paris.
OK, it was really just a vacant parking lot turned high-end outdoor shopping center across the street from Valley Fair, but who noticed? Not moi.
After Chardonnay, fondue and lobster mousse (ooh-la-la), we walked in and out of clothing stores, home stores and gourmet food shops. We picked up this, bought that. It didn’t really matter what it was. Each object was a mere lovely diversion in our lovely diversion-filled day.
After that, Chris and I studied our watches. Hmm, still two hours to go. We couldn’t go home yet!
Chris remembered that one of our favorite wineries had a tasting room in San Jose, so we sped off and spent the next hour sipping wine and chatting up the pourers. We topped off our nearly perfect afternoon over mountains of books at a nearby book store.
We drove back to my parents’ home where we had dropped off our daughter five hours earlier. We found her poolside cooing at our miniature dachsie, Lucy, who was having her own fun jumping in and out of the pool.
My mom gave us Emma’s full report – two-hour nap, a jar of sweet potatoes, a bottle, one afternoon walk. Miracle of miracles. Chris and I were both out of sight, and her life rolled on as usual.
After having the opportunity to reflect on our date day, there are a few things I would have done differently. Here they are in no particular order:
1) Pack my baby blinders.
Everywhere we went, babies surrounded us, dangling from slings, sleeping in strollers and cradled in their parents’ arms. I couldn’t help cooing over them.
One adorable newborn even made me ponder when we might have another one. What can I say? Intoxicated by the baby’s drowsy smile and half a glass of wine, I had a moment of weakness. And of course, all the babies made me think of our daughter. What was she doing? Was she having as much as fun as us? And what in the world were we doing here without her?
2) Leave our wallet at home.
Well, maybe not my entire wallet, but maybe a credit card or two. I don’t remember playing hooky ever being so expensive. But all of those lovely diversions in the form of cutting boards, bottles of wine and dog toys cost money. Oh well, I guess it’s a good thing we only wander out of Gilroy sans baby every three months!
3) Don’t wait so long to take a vacation, albeit a short one, from laundry, dishes and play dates. It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. Just a simple outing – five minutes or 25 miles away from home. It has done everyone a world of good.
And I’m happy to report that Chris and I already penciled in the next day to wile away. This time, I’ll just have to remember to put on my baby blinders and leave my American Express at home.
