Date night!

Dan and I strongly feel that it's very important to keep our marriage relationship top priority, even as we embark on the journey of parenting together. It may sound strange, since most people think you simply love your child the most, and make them priority, but I tend to think there is more to it then this. Of course, you do have to make your child a priority, devote your time and energy to them, and show them unconditional love. And don't get me wrong, this does make a great parent. However, Dan and I also feel strongly that one of the best ways to love Noah and to teach him love is to love one another first and keep our relationship strong. If our relationship stays bonded, then we can effectively parent as a team and keep our little family happy and healthy. I am sorry if my little rant bores you or makes you feel like you are sitting in a Marital Relationships college class.....Now that I think about it, it does sound strangely familiar to things I've learned in my undergrad and graduate courses. But hey, it is also something that shouldn't be taken lightly or be ignored. So there you go.

Anyway, back to my little tidbit on "date night". We wanted to get into the habit of having a special date night at least once a month after having Noah. Obviously we spend lots of time together taking care of our little guy, but we both felt that it was essential to plan some time to spend together, just the two of us, each and every month to stay connected and just have some "us" time. :) There is no denying that relationships take both time and work to stay strong and healthy, and a marriage relationship is no exception. Last Friday was our first official "date night" since becoming parents! We had a great time. We went to one of our favorite restaurants, celebrated Dan's b-day, chatted about our new life as parents and ways we have grown, and flirted with one another over a yummy bottle of vino. The food was great and it felt wonderful to spend an evening sharing and laughing together. It is hard to describe just how good it feels to spend time with your first love only to then get to go home and cuddle with the beautiful child you've created together.

 I love our family of three.