Yeah, we're parents now

It’s funny how life changes when you have a baby. But what’s even funnier is how you don’t realize it until you have a moment to yourself.

With my parents in town to watch Ladybug, my husband and I were able to go on an overnight date this week. We started at the Boardwalk to buy a pair of tennis shoes (yeah, real exciting), and as we walked to the store I noticed something was different. We were holding hands. Before Ladybug was born, my husband and I always walked hands entwined. But now our hands are always occupied pushing a stroller, searching through a diaper bag or grabbing the arm of a toddler who’s trying to dart off.

Then there was dinner. Our mealtime usually revolves around Ladybug; either I don’t get to start eating until Ladybug finishes what’s on her plate or I’m shoveling in bites while Ladybug chews. I almost forgot that there was any other way to dine. But before I knew it, two hours had passed at the restaurant. My husband and I were so wrapped up in conversation without the worry of Ladybug trying to tip over her high chair or throw spoons and napkins on the floor that we lost track of time.

I felt a wee bit guilty relishing this temporary freedom. It almost felt like our pre-baby days. But then we went to the casino and lost $100 on the slot machines, and all I could think about was how that money could have bought the talking parrot Ladybug latched onto in the toy store.

I guess some things will never change.

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