Some nights

The other night my folks, grammy and papa, came to whisk Ben away to their house to stay the night (ended up being two nights).  As they loaded him into their car I found myself getting a little anxious, a little paranoid.  I know that neither my dad nor mom drive like maniacs.  I know that he'll have a great time with them.  I guess it's more of that mental void created, sure and physical void as well, that only a toddler can fill.  Time was suddenly freed-up that would typically be occupied by: "let's play this", "don't touch that", "time for a bath".  We didn't need to convince a squirming 25lb+ little body that it was dinner time or to get his diaper changed.     

My wife and I found ourselves bouncing between busy and "what now?".  My wife was more busy, I was more "let-me-see-if-can-figure-this-Roku-thing-out".  Still, we had been away so there was plenty to do around the house, as much as I would have preferred to be able to jump in the car and have a day-out.  OK, that's a lie.  I didn't get dressed in "real clothes" until 1:00; by the time my parents showed up, around 5:00, I was together.

Yesterday evening my wife said, "let's go out to dinner".  So we did, on an old gift card that we weren't sure when we'd use.  There was definitely that strange, persisting feeling that we were forgetting something; one of us didn't have their arms full of Ben and one of us didn't have a diaper bag hanging off their shoulder.  After dinner we had a romantic trip to the grocery store.  Kicking myself for the 11:30 bedtime though; Roku is the devil.  

We'll reunite with Ben this afternoon, sharing New Years with family and close friends.  Right now, I only have one resolution:  to be even happier.  I know, it sounds cold, as if I wasn't happy in 2013.  I was and am, but I could stand a larger dose.  I think I'll find more of it in old and new friends whom I haven't shared time with in a while or at all.  I hope to find it in activities I haven't had or made time for in 2013, as I had hoped, mainly due to laziness.

Don't forget to hug your little one a lot - it's like hugging yourself and your significant other all in one!  Until they let out a high pitched squeal in your ear because they want to go play.  Really, I'm still talking about the kid making that sound, not your significant other.