Last night my dad came over to watch the kids so Matt and I could go to dinner in a restaurant where no one would hand us a cup of stubby old broken crayons and a kids’ menu the second we walked in the door. I don’t even think D’Amico Cucina has a kids’ menu, which made it an ideal destination for a Restaurant Week dinner with friends. (Restaurant Week is a bunch of local restaurants offering prix fixe menus for either $30 or $15, depending on the place, so if you live around here you should totally look into it.)
I could write a whole blog post on the blissful experience of enjoying a restaurant meal without having to get up and ask where the “potty” was. (Only to return to the table to find the other child needed a diaper change.) But I won’t. Instead, I’ll just tell you what my dad said last night when we got home:
“Elliot is just so sweet at bedtime. You ask him if he wants his ‘babies’ and he sort of giggles and says ‘yeah.’ Then you ask if he wants to read a story and he sort of giggles and says ‘yeah.’ And then you sit down in the chair and get him all settled with his babies and blankets, and he sort of giggles some more; he’s so happy.”
Now all this is perfectly true (except on the nights where he does not want to go to bed, and resists every element of the routine vehemently). But then my dad goes on:
“You and Matthew [my brother] never did anything that sweet when you were growing up.”
Umm. . . thanks, Dad.
I am choosing to look at this as a compliment to my abilities as a parent, to have produced such a charming child, rather than as an insult from my own parent.
March 4th, 2009 at 11:09 pm
Your father had a big grin on his face when he was talking about you and Tio Matt. He is proud of the whole family, including the most amazing grand kids. He loves you all!
March 5th, 2009 at 8:32 am
That’s true. He WAS grinning when he said it. And like I said in the title, you can say anything you want to me if you’re willing to babysit. And Elliot IS really sweet at bedtime most nights (if anyone else wants to come over and babysit, and possibly insult me — feel free.)
March 5th, 2009 at 8:38 am
Thanks CatNamedPig..its been too long. So glad you guys had a nice dinner out! For us foodies- we’d love to hear what you ate!!!
March 5th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Sure, I’ll talk dinner! I had a delicious starter of truffled lasagne, a main course of pan-roasted skate, and almond crepes with mascarpone for dessert. All this was paired with a wine flight of three small pours, one for each course. Delicious. Matt had a cod croquette, followed by braised pork (I think — didn’t pay too much attention but he said it was phenomenal) and an assortment of chocolate pastries for dessert. And now I’m hungry.
March 5th, 2009 at 10:39 am
YUM!! that sounds so good!
March 5th, 2009 at 11:42 am
I think I’ve only put Elliot to bed once, but I can testify that he is quite possibly the sweetest baby ever – ALL THE TIME. Please invite me over on a “bad” day, because I just don’t believe it could happen.