A Perfect Evening

Alex was just so perfect last night, and we had so, so, so much fun, the three of us. I picked him up from Day Care and we went and met daddy out for Thai food (something we haven’t done in AGES) and he was just a total charmer.

We got an order of edamame to start out, and at first I had to pop the beans out for him (pop!) but after a while he was popping them on the table himself, and counting how many he got from each pod before eating them. Alex ordered a second helping of Edamame — “more edamame, please.” He evolved further to popping the edamame directly into his mouth.

Then dinner came, and Alex very politely said thank you everytime the waiter put a plate down. He wanted chopsticks like Mommy and Daddy, so we asked for and received a set of the baby chopsticks rubber banded together. He made a noble effort to pick up his tofu, but it was too soft (though I think he did get one piece, and it was so soft I had trouble picking it up with chopsticks, so I wasn’t all that surprised). He fared better with the chicken from my plate, although he did drop at least one piece on the table and then turned around and started talking to his food: “No drop, chicken, no DROP.” The waitstaff was totally enamoured.

In the car on the way home, I taught Alex how to sing Mary Had a Little Lamb (and he kind of had it by the second go through, which was pretty amazing!) and then when we got home he decided “shower, no bath” so I plopped him into the shower and he scrubbed up and was happy as a clam. I stepped in and washed his hair, and then left again until he called out “all done, Mommy.”

Then he told me he wanted to go poop on the potty, and put the seat on the bowl and climbed up there himself, and then actually did it! (Mike had to take over at this point, though –potty training is kind of hard on me at the moment, and I had to go lay down for a few minutes). After he and Daddy washed hands, Daddy put him in a clean diaper and he asked for lotion. So Daddy rubbed some on his back, and Alex recipricocated by rubbing lotion on Daddy’s back. Then they came into my bedroom and Alex rubbed lotion on my feet (gotta train ‘em young!).

I got up to attend to him, and he brushed his teeth without a fight, we got into PJs, and had a grand old time reading two long-ish books. I then turned out the light, turned on the music, and we cuddled for one song. I said “it’s time for bed now, baby boy!” and he obediently slid out of my lap and crawled into bed. I gave him his usual tuck in — “here’s your doggie, here’s your water, here’s your blanket, here’s your kisses from Mommy. I love you, little man, sleep well and I will see you in the morning!” And then he rolled over and went to sleep.

At several times over the course of dinner, I thought to myself “cherish this.” It was really kind of bittersweet, to be functioning so well together as a family and enjoying each other’s company so much, and knowing that the apple cart is going to be totally upended soon. In a good way, in a better way in the long run, but still a little sad. after a night like last night when everything was so smooth and sweet and perfect, that I am sad for Alex and for us as a family that this wonderful balance is going to end for a while. I know we will find a new equalibrium, but it certainly won’t be the same.