Things You Learn On Date Night

Nate and I did what it took us about 18 MONTHS to do the first time around. We hired a babysitter, and got the heck out of dodge for a date night. No dinners to feed. No baths to give. No bedtimes to worry about---ok scratch that, I may have still worried. But not bedtimes to execute.

So what did we do? We went to dinner and the Lumineers concert. Nate had gotten me tickets for my birthday and so off we went. I feel like we learned a number of things on that night:

1) You may spend more on the babysitter than the date itself.  We decided to use a teacher from Tillie's school for the best odds of success (and because I couldn't imagine a 14 year old handling a 2 year old and 9 week old). $100 bucks for four and a half hours. WHAT?!?!?!? I rememer back in my day, I would babysit 2 Spaeth girls for a solid evening and be lucky to make a twenty spot, and then my dad would turn around and take 50% for college savings.  I about choked when she told me her rate. And we did have friends offer to watch them, and in hindsight I should have taken them up on the offer, but I figure we need to find a babysitter sooner than later and I have too much guilt having a friend give up their weekend night for me to have a fun one.

2) The hipster scene is alive and well in Minneapolis. Something about the Lumineers just brought them out of the woodwork.

3) Artists can sound EXACTLY like their album.In the day and age of computer 'enhanced' artistry it was really refreshing to hear a truly talented singer perform.

4) Thanks to the #3 learning above, I didn't feel guilty making a swift exit at 10:30 even though the concert wasn't over. Let's face it. I was cashed at 9PM but I perservered. But at 10:30 my eyelids were getting heavy, and I anticipated the wallet getting lighter so we we left.

5) Not all teens have rhythm. We sat behind 4 teenage girls. Must have been about 14 or 15. And there were normal teenagers. All looking alike, and dressing alike and texting/instagramming every other minute. Nate and I were having fun watching them and thinking about Matilda and Beatrice. Then the music started and were were equal parts apalled and enthralled with all four of their lack of rhythm. It was hard to not laugh, to not quit staring, and to look away. Kind of train-wreckish.

6) The iphone was not the prevalent phone. We had a healthy debate if it was because there was an overabundance of hipsters and they were being anti-norm, OR if it was because there were so many teenagers and their parents wouldn't spring for the iphone. Thoughts??

7) Nate and I learned that we can have fun outside of the house without two little ones, and without thinking about them too much (Nate is better at this than me).

I'm hoping there are many more date nights in our future. We may have to set up a separate savings account just for them, but my guess is it will be worth it.