Date Nights

Aidyn was 2 weeks old yesterday - it's hard to believe 3 weeks ago I wondered if this time would ever come, ha. But anyways - Ben and I have already been on two "dates", if that's what you want to call them.

Normally I would not call running errands and eating dinner a "date", but now we have to consider schedules (both Aidyn's eating and my pumping), and trying to find someone to keep him. Ofcourse its never hard, or hasn't been yet, with two sets of grandparents that go through "withdrawals" according to them if they don't see him, haha.

We went on our first date last Tuesday (he was 1wk old). We needed to return some things to Target and BabyRUs and pick up some things we'd realized we needed or needed more of. Ben's mom offered to come to the house since it was cold and beginning to snow. Apparently this HUGE snow storm was on its way. When we left the house at 4:30pm it was beginning to snow pretty good. On our way to Johnson City, about 25 miles away, the closer we got the bluer the skies got and the sun was out. It was like a beautiful spring day. We completed our errands at Target and BabysRus when some friends called to tell us the interstate was terrible and it was getting bad at home. Still no snow in JC.

We decided to eat dinner and head back; so we went to Applebees. Yum! When we got in the car at 7:00pm it was beginning to flurry (barely). Once we got on the interstate the snow began to pick up. When we were within about 20 miles (we hadn't been far) it got bad. What normally takes about 20-25min to get home took us over 30 min. It was slick, snowing like crazy, and you couldn't see a thing! I think we ended up with about 5in of snow at our house after the 2 days of snow. I find it so strange at the differences around us though...my parents who live in JC barely got half an inch to an inch.

Our 2nd "date" was to a concert - Old Crow Medicine Show last Thursday. Ben was supposed to have a game that night but it got canceled due to weather. He came home from practice and said, "My game was cancled and I was thinking abou that OCMS show." I said, "Sure, that's fine if you want to go." He had been so bummed out when he realized he had a game on that particular night. He just looked at me and said, "Well, I was thinking we both might go." YAY! Haha, ok! I hadn't considered that, haha.

My mom was planning on coming over that evening to see Aidyn. Some girls from work were bringing us dinner (Olive Garden!) and it was delicious! Then we fed Aidyn, I pumped, and we packed up and headed to my parents. They live about 2 min. from Freedom Hall Civic Center where OCMS was playing. The concert began at 8pm and we ended up leaving at 11pm. They were finishing up their encore songs and my back was killing me. Plus, Aidyn was going to need to eat again at midnight and my mom had to be at work the next morning. We had a grea time!

I told Ben that I would like to make it a point to do something, just the two of us, atleast once a month -> February (Valentines Day), March (our annivesary), April (my birthday). I figured we should be in a good "routine" by May. Ben agreed but then kinda suprised me. He said, "How about we make a commitment to go out twice a month that way each of our parents can keep him atleast once." I thought that was a great idea!

So many times you hear about the parents' relationship getting "lost" in parenting and over time losing their relationship they had previously. I absolutely LOVE being a mom and I can tell Ben adores Aidyn...but we both want to keep "us" around too. I think we are so lucky to have parents excited and willing to keep Aidyn as well as many friends with young children who also like to go out periodically. I think our date nights are going to be a great success!