The Lukers~ Life is Lovely: First Night Out

Last Saturday Will and I were actually given an opportunity for some grown up time! Talk about exciting. Really! My parents offered time to let us go out to eat and a movie, whatever we wanted to do, and to stay out as late as we wanted. Uh, OKAY! Woo hoo! I can hardly remember when I was so excited. My parents were, too. We showed up with our THREE bags of stuff and every stash of frozen milk I had (and that is a precious commodity, let me tell you.) They all but pushed us out the door. They literally told us to "hurry up and leave." Haha, okay, okay! So with a good bye kiss on baby's head, we were gone like the wind. As we pulled out the driveway, I couldn't help but to feel like I chopped off my arm and left it at home (hey, I might need that) but I shrugged it off and tried to focus on the baby-free hours ahead. We were giddy. It felt like our first date. I told Will that it felt like the first time, and we subsequently broke out into song (thank you, Foreigner) "It feeeeeeels like the firrrrst time.... feels like the very first time!" Oh, the joy. My mouth was salivating at the thought of that first bitter sip of pinot noir in my future. We all but skipped down Highway 6 to the nearest Olive Garden (my pick) and we had plans of seeing "Ted" afterwards. Even the Saturday night-six o'clock crowd couldn't bother me at the restaurant. I merrily took my buzzer and made my way to the bar for the glass of wine I had waited for over ten months. "Six ounces or nine?" the bartender asked when Will made my order. "Nine," he replied without hesitation. I had almost forgotten why I always let him order my drinks. Oh, yes. This was why. We made a toast to our beloved little baby at home and I brought the glass to my lips. Oh, sweet liberty! Dionysus was dancing about my head as I relished that first taste of that bittersweet goodness in a glass. Luckily, we didn't have to wait very long for a table and before I knew it we had our salad and breadsticks and I was on to my second glass of wine. Feelin' good, feelin' real good. We had a nice dinner and wonderful conversation for two hours. It was so nice to be with my husband, out in public, and not have spit up on my shirt. However, as the time wore on and the wine disappeared, I missed my baby more and more. In fact, the majority of the time we were talking about her, how life had changed since we'd had her, and what life was going to be like now that she was here, and how much we adored her. As the check appeared on the table and I was checking Fandango for the show times, Will looks at me and says, "I'm tired." "Yeah, me too," I said. "Do you really want to go to the movie?" he asked. And I did, because I wanted to see the movie, but at the same time, a nap sounded pretty darn good. I didn't want to spend $30 to sleep in a movie theater. "Want to take a nap?" Will asked. Yes. Yes yes yes. I was pretty tipsy by this point anyways. I called to tell my parents were coming home a measly two hours after leaving. So much for a night on the town! My dad was nonplussed about this decision. "Dad, we're coming home." "What?" he asked. "We're coming home, we want to sleep," I shrieked with laughter (that was the wine talking.) "Are you serious?" he asked, a little flabbergasted. "Yes, will Mom stay on duty?" I asked between fits of giggles. "Yes, she'll stay on duty," he said. So, we were home by 9:00 and we spent the remainder of the night in my parents' guest room, where I fell asleep ten minutes after my head hit the pillow. My mother was thrilled to take care of the baby during the night, and I was thrilled to get a full night's sleep. At least until I thought my boobs would explode, but that's another matter. Thankful for my parents who gladly do so much for us. We had a great time-- while it lasted!

THE glass of wine. Sweet Jesus, it tasted good.