A Date

Dear Henry,

You were pretty disappointed tonight when dad had to leave to take care of some church business right after dinner. So as I was washing the dinner dishes, I asked if you wanted to go on a date with me. You'd think I offered you a lifetime supply of "Liminy Queen" (Lightning McQueen) fruit snacks. You were over the moon. As soon as the idea settled into your head, you said, "Wait mom, but first I need to get some date clothes on." You disappeared into your room and when you reappeared you had stripped down to your underpants and were hugging a frenzily gathered armful of clothing--one button-down shirt, one pair of corduroy pants, and two brown leather loafers. It wasn't a fancy date we went on; you didn't actually need to dress up. I guess that was why it was so cute; you were just doing what you've seen dad do so many times on our date nights, trying to keep up with "date night decorum." We went to Kroger, bought a pack of Watermelon Gum (your oral obsession of late,) and then picked out a few new books at the library before it closed.

I don't really know what else to say about our night out together -- it all gets kind of saccharine, me thinking you're the cutest little man on the planet, pondering over time manipulation (wanting to freeze it for a bit,) hoping that maybe we can do things like that together every now and again...even when you're sixteen and hanging out with your mom is totally un-cool. See? Saccharine. Wishful thinking.

So, I just love you...

Forever,

Mama