Just Go, Ma Ma!

The other night, Jeff and I got to have a little date night ... alone ... without the girls! It was very exciting! No laughing - this was a big change for us. The girls come everywhere with us! Healthy or not ... it's just what works for us.

So I'm building it up with Hannah that afternoon about how she gets to go to Auntie Melanie and Uncle Burke's house and have dinner there ... all ... by ... herself! If she were older, I would add, "like OMG!" She immediately started picking out the dress she was going to wear, her necklaces that would adorn her neck, and instructing me on how she wanted her hair to be braided.

SOO not my child. :)

But a little bit of her girliness rubbed off on me, and while she was in quiet time and Addi was napping, I headed upstairs to fancy it up a bit myself. When Hannah came out of her room, she stopped and stared at me, mouth gaping open.

"What's on your eyes, Ma Ma? Why are you wearing earrings? Are you being ... fancy?"

I'm not sure mascara and a ponytail qualifies as fancy, but I didn't want to be even more of a disappointment to her, so I played along.

"It's just some make-up, Honey. I thought I'd get fancy, too!"

"But you're not going to Auntie Melanie's. Just Me and Adelaide. ALL ... BY ... OURSELVES. Not you."

Lest I should forget!

So the hour when Caleb and Melanie come to pick the girls up finally arrives and Hannah barely even turns around to wave goodbye to me. I tried to brush it off by finding the positive: she's getting to be such a big girl. We won't have any issues with nursery school in the fall. Look at her take charge - she'll be a strong leader someday!

But all through the movie, even walking past the storefronts after the movie, my arms felt awkward. They weren't carrying Addi or holding Hannah's hand. They were just ... empty! And they weren't doing anything! I tried putting my hands in my pockets in an effort to give them some sort of purpose. But then I thought if I tripped, the outcome would end very badly! Maybe the problem was that I was walking with a slight tilt as I didn't have Addi's weight holding one side of me down. But then I think I overcompensated and was leaning the other way. Nothing worked - it just felt dumb. Sad, I know! Especially when there are days when having empty arms is all I want!!

Somehow I managed to stumble to the restaurant without tripping over myself, and we sit down next to a table that has about 12-14 people sitting around it. Among them is a cute little girl who is prancing around on her tip toes, showing off a ring she borrowed from her mom on her tiny little finger. Her face was beaming!

She was Hannah with blond hair!

But one look at Jeff told me he didn't see the resemblance. Looking back on it, I think only a delirious mother who had just seen a very sappy movie and obviously needs to get out without her kids more would see any such resemblance! But then the little girl skips over to a little boy, leans over and starts whispering to him about the beautiful ring she is wearing. He looked to be about the same age as Addi.

That was it. I couldn't keep my eyes off of them for the rest of our meal! The mom must have noticed me ogling her children as she practically pulls her chair over to our table and starts chatting with us. Turns out both our kids were just a few weeks apart, and it was all I could do to keep from sweeping her two kids up in my arms!

Needless to say, the girls fared far better than I did on their adventure. Shocking, I know! :) While we were settling down for bed, Hannah and I were snuggling, and she turns to me and says,

"Ma Ma. I'm all done snugglin'. Just go."

Ouch. Two points for being blunt!
But I think that girl's on to something! If a little bling and make-up shocks her and I can't even make it a measly few hours without seeing my children in others ... I obviously need to just GO!