Date Night

As much as Beau and I like to cook together, we also like to eat out.  We used to make a night out of it.  We'd pick out a destination and make it our goal to discover the best dishes in the Cedar Valley.  The lobster bisque at Cu that we'd bathe in if we had the chance, or the shrimp spring rolls at Montage that remind us of a favorite dish on our honeymoon.  We'd drink 'lobsteritas' at Red Lobster, martinis at The Stuffed Olive, and occasionally, Beau would cave and take me to Applebees so I could have my favorite, 'Perfect' Margarita.  We shared food, shared conversation, and typically shared a 'woops' when our tab was a little higher than we anticipated.  

We still like to eat out, but don't make it the 'event' it used to be.  We're smarter about what we order, and are cognizant of finding 'family friendly' establishments...ones where it's okay to drop fifteen Gerber Puffs on the floor or make Sophie the Giraffe squeak like a foghorn.  Cruz is very well-behaved right now, but we realize that all-to-soon he will be attempting to climb out of his highchair, or squeal at the top of his lungs, or test the person in the booth next to us into a staring contest.  Add another little person to the mix and our restaurant days might be numbered.

This change in the way I approach 'eating out' might be the reason our anniversary date night last night was one of my favorite nights yet.  Because they happen less frequently now that we're parents, we really stopped to savor our time together.  I actually spent time on my hair and makeup.  We held hands on the way to MyVerona.  We ordered an antipasto plate, reviewed each bite of fresh mozzarella, genoa salami, and blue cheese, and clanked our glasses of wine together to celebrate four years of bliss.  Most of all, we relaxed, caught up on adult conversation, and really enjoyed our time together.  

Afterwards, we walked around downtown, peeked through store windows, and marked spots where we took our engagement pictures and maternity pictures.  We sampled half-priced martinis at The Stuffed Olive, and ended our night with truffles and wine at Indulgence.  

Although it wasn't a Caribbean body wrap at Jiva, a night at the Black Hawk Hotel, or a trip to an all-inclusive resort, last night was the perfect way to celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary.  It's been a transitional year for us as a couple, and last night was the perfect way to reconnect.  

Finally, we learned that date nights are crucial for any couple with kids.  Our last true 'date night' was on Valentine's Day.  We ate at a nice restaurant and stopped at Walgreen's for diapers and dessert.  We were home after an hour and a half.


I'd say we did better last night!