Routine

week six

 
Well, thank goodness.  Life has not jinxed us even after being so bold to say that it almost felt like we were falling into a routine... and finally succumbing to our new normal.  And to be honest, I don't know why I was fighting it so much because this life, being a mom, really isn't so bad!   

Thanks to our favorite restaurant.com, Sunday night, we took ourselves out to our first family (of three) dinner at Sweet Rice Thai.  Miller slept the whole time and Chris and I enjoyed a nice, budget conscious, family dinner out.  

Tuesday brought us our first playgroup.  And another realization... that as much as we'd like to think playgroups are for the kids, they are really for the moms.  That's not a bad thing, though... the kids get to socialize and expend some energy and the moms get to well... socialize!

Besides the playgroup, I've confirmed that getting out of the house for any errand really helps to keep me sane.  It also makes me pay closer attention to the pocketbook because I'm more apt to spend money but once I realized that my errands needed to be necessities rather than just somewhere to go (and spend more money), I was able to make good use of our time AND get out of the house with the little man.  We routinely hit up Babies R Us (for necessities, returns, or gifts - babies are popping up everywhere these days!), Target, the grocery store (including Trader Joe's of course), and some random stores thrown in here and there.

Miller also discovered just how much he likes to lie on his cushy puppy mat.  This is not a first-time momma bragging but it definitely seems like he has a preference for the fluffy mat as he constantly runs his hands through the fur of the puppy and reaches for the puppy's head almost immediately.  I love watching him discover new things... even if it's by accident. 

Besides our family dinner out, one of my other favorite parts of the week was my night out for Mexican (!!) with some girlfriends.  I even splurged and got a margarita.  One thing's for sure, being a mom makes you appreciate evenings like that one more than you thought possible.

We also had our very first, very cliche fatherhood moment. (bear with me here)  One night this week, Miller's pacifier was misplaced - only we didn't realize that it was missing until it was needed sometime the following day.  Chris was heading to a softball game that evening so he'd packed a gym bag of clothes and equipment early that morning which included the gray shorts he'd been wearing the day before.  Fast forward to the following night, in a rush to get home from the game, Chris accidentally left his gym bag at the field but it was thankfully picked up by the coach of his team.  While coordinating picking up the bag (and at this point we were in a full-tilt panic because Miller's favorite pacifier was MIA), Chris had to ask Kevin, the coach, to open his bag, find his gray shorts, and see if there was a, uh... pacifier in the pocket.  Lo-and-behold, it was there... and I got a good chuckle hearing the phone conversation (and seeing Chris' associated expression).  I would have paid a pretty penny to see Kevin's face on the other end of the line, as he's a single guy living the good life in Arlington (single ladies, I have a very eligible bachelor for you). 

Later in the week, a friend (mom-to-be of Miller's future buddy, Anderson) and I headed to a fun neighborhood down the road called Del Ray to hit up some kids' consignment stores.  I was hoping to find some clothes for Miller for far into the future (i.e. after he turns one) but quickly discovered that I have no clue what little one-year old boys wear.  Overalls?  Jeans?  I walked away almost empty-handed... save for a miniature pair of swim trunks and a 0-6 month hat.  And as much fun as checking out cute consignment stores was, the highlight of the trip (other than the company) was a stop in the Dairy Godmother for some frozen custard.  To say I'm obsessed with frozen custard would be a drastic understatement.  

As a final parting shot to week six, Miller attended his first family baby shower... for another friend-to-be, Nathaniel. It was a perfect kid-friendly occasion and a super fun afternoon spent preparing for another little buddy.

Another week has passed... I dare say we are having a good time at this family-of-three thing!