Those Were the Days

This past weekend, I found myself in an unfamiliar position. It was Friday afternoon, around 2:00. I had just dropped off Daniel (and Ollie) at my parents' house for a sleepover. My Mom put Daniel down for a nap and I left. The plan was for me to meet Peter in Bala Cynwyd at 7:00. I had 5 hours to myself, with no one to rush home to. I honestly can't remember the last time I could say that. What to do with my gift of (temporary) freedom? I had spent the previous 2 days contemplating how best to use my time. What did I want to do that I couldn't do with Daniel? After running through various options and weeding out those that were somewhat inconvenient. I came to a decision: I would go shopping for jeans at Bloomingdales!

I headed to Willow Grove Mall, like a kid in a candy store. Taking my good old time, I browsed through racks and racks of designer jeans and selected about 10 pairs to try. I even had the luxury of a dressing room all to myself (Daniel had not been content to watch me try on clothes since he was about 16 months old). This might sound crazy, but I even tried on several pairs of jeans more than once! Imagine that! It was a successful venture, as I left Bloomies with 2 new pairs of jeans but not an impatient toddler. And I still didn't have to rush home!

After trying on and purchasing some things at Banana Republic and J. Crew, I set off across the mall in search of some nourishment. In my moment of child-free ecstasy, I had skipped lunch. As I walked past Auntie Anne's and Sbarro's, I noticed that I was among the oldest of the afternoon mall-goers. There were plenty of teenagers and adolescents, and even some moms with kids in strollers. With a spring in my step, I reminded myself that I was 32 (not 16) and that this sense of freedom was fleeting. I procured a fruit smoothie and went on my way.

That night, Peter and I went into the city to have dinner at Parc. We hadn't had dinner downtown together since my birthday in March, and we were long overdue. It felt almost alien to be wandering around Rittenhouse Square on a balmy summer evening, especially with no babysitter waiting at home. After our meal, we literally didn't know what to do with ourselves. We people-watched up and down Walnut Street, reminiscing about our younger days of city living, while Daniel slept soundly at his grandparents' house. Heading home at the late hour of 11:00 (!!!), we felt refreshed -- as if we had rediscovered a small part of who we used to be before we were Mommy and Daddy.

It's so easy to take your free time for granted, even after you have children. I've even been known to complain about being bored while Daniel naps. But this shopping and dining experience was a rare opportunity to reconnect with myself and to enjoy the moment -- two things I rarely get to do anymore with an active and energetic toddler at home!