Time away from baby

We went out to eat last night to celebrate my birthday, and it was wonderful to spend some time with just Husband and me. We are extremely blessed to have family living close, so our little lady got to enjoy Grandma/Granddad/cousin time while we ate. We try to have a date night once a month, and free babysitting makes that a lot easier on our budget. Also, knowing she's with family makes me more confident that she's well cared for so that I can relax.

There are several little things about time away from my baby that emphasize how drastically she has changed my life and how good it is to spend some time apart. For example, I had to remind myself to eat more slowly because every bite was not one scream away from an abandoned meal. Or one cry away from eating while balancing a baby in my lap. We don't have a rule about not talking about the baby while on dates, but when she's not right there, the conversation naturally flows to other topics, and her needs aren't the most pressing thing to discuss.

And one of my favorite things about date night is that we both get to ride up front without worrying that the baby will start fussing at any moment, rendering the car ride miserable. These minor breaks from my current reality also make me appreciate how much I love my daughter. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I think we both enjoy seeing each other more after we've been away from each other for a little while.

So, while date nights and doctor's appointments and the other valid reasons I sometimes leave my baby in someone else's care are few and far between, I value them. They're a good measure of just how motherhood has changed me and yet how I'm still me. I still enjoy a good plate of fajitas and witty reparte with the guy who's doing this whole parenting thing by my side.

Here's to many more date nights with lots of baby cuddles in between.