Saturday Night's Alright with Me...

So, I am JUST NOW getting around to posting about our anniversary dinner last Saturday night.
Yes, moms are busy people.
An old colleague of mine had offered to sit whenever we needed to get out. I think she was eager to hold the baby. We had met for lunch and Evie slept in her car seat the whole time. I decided to take her up on this offer. She could hold the baby all night if she wanted.
I made a reservation for Acacia - a super fabulous restaurant in Richmond. My grandma had given us $75 for Christmas last year and I still had not spent it. She passed away last January and this seemed the right thing to do with her gift. A nice, romantic dinner out for our anniversary.
I busted out, yes, are you ready for this?, a little black frilly dress I had bought for a wedding in October 2002. A five year old dress... that fit! Ta-dah! (Might have not been THAT in fashion but who the hell cares? I just had a baby!.... when does that statement expire? Back to the story...)
I made Rob wear a tie. Yes, a tie. "I have to wear a tie?" Yes, Rob, you do. Cause who knows WHEN a chance like this will ever happen again. Because, let's be honest here, the next time we go out it will involve a babysitter who charges over $6/hr. At that rate, our night out will be McDonald's. If you wear a tie there, people will ask you for extra ketchup packets.
So, L showed up 40 minutes before our reservation. I had everything prepared (the emergency phone numbers, the dogs were fed, baby was half-fed). I never did show her where the bathroom was, how to turn down the blasting TV (which, she tolerated the whole time we were gone!), where the baby monitor was (so she wouldn't have to visually check on her every 15 minutes). Oh well, I'm new at this.
All-in-all, she said it went well but she also seemed to run from our house when we got home at 10PM.
Our meal was FABULOUS. Rob and I got drinks at the bar (a whiskey sour and a glass of red wine - cheers! To 4 years!). We then dined al fresco (a little warm but otherwise, a very nice night to be outside). We skipped appetizers in order to save room for dessert. I had scallops in a butter cream sauce with gnocci & zuccini. I. Ate. All. Of. It. Rob had roasted chicken with an alfredo-based mac & cheese. He cleaned his plate, too. Another drink later, we had dessert—three different kinds of sorbet.
"Phew! *hic-cup* What TIME is it? It must be like, 9:30PM!"
Rob checks his cell phone. "Its 8:20."
Wow. This is pathetic.
Me, "We can't go home at 8:30. We just... CAN'T."
Rob and I walk down to the New York Deli (its actually a bar. Its owned by the same peeps who own Cafe Saint. Ex in DC). We belly-up to the bar for a beer and another glass of red wine.
This is really a lot of fun. We, sadly, NEVER DID this when we were baby-free. Everyone TELLS you to go out, date, enjoy it before baby. But, when you are baby-free... you really do NOT know what this sentiment means or how to truly appreciate moments like this. Its like when you were a kid and you really wanted to grow up. Parents would tell you, "Slow down! You'll be an adult before you know it - enjoy it!" And, you never got what the heck they were talking about until (fast-forward 20 years) you are married with a mortgage, a car payment, 2 dogs, a stack of bills and a baby!
So, we had our drinks and decided we could head home.
Home by 10PM. L, leaves and we are alone... tipsy... and the baby's asleep.
Fast-forward 20 minutes, *wink*, and we are out like a light.
A good night indeed!