Going Out.

Last night Jason and I got all dressed up and went out. We've tried to go out a few times since Adelyn's been born, thanks to the generosity of her grandparents, but we've never really been able to leave for more than an hour, thanks to the domestic pull that is being a parent.
I've always loved getting dressed up and going out. More so the getting dressed up part. Since Adelyn's entered our lives getting dressed up usually equates to putting on mascara and a pair of actual pants rather than ones with an elastic waist, so it was nice to feel like my old self, even just for a few hours, and put some actual effort into my appearance.
But, oh, how things are different when you have a child. It's not just the lack of time to get ready and actually go out and do something. Once you've secured the babysitter and manage to finagle a half-hour to get ready, things are still just so different.
Last night, for example, I was a little worried about leaving Adelyn because she hadn't pooped in two days. She's been noticeably uncomfortable as a result, and when I left her at Jason's parents' house she was fussy and I could tell they were in for an eventful evening. And this became the overriding theme of the night. You can take the mom out of her pajamas but she's still gonna think about her baby's bowel movements.
My mom is the executive director of a shelter in Nashville that serves homeless families. Last night, local "celebrities" came together to put on a Dancing With the Stars-esque event to benefit the shelter. Professional dancers teamed up with each of them and a panel of judges as well as the audience rated their performances.
So Jason and I are all decked out, sitting at a fancy table with a fancy dinner with all these fancy pseudo-celebrities, and we're trying to play the part of a couple not preoccupied with a two-month-old's diaper. But Jason stepped out two separate times to call his parents, who kept assuring us that it was fine, that they didn't mind the fussiness.
There are several times in a new parents' life when you find yourself, temporarily, lifted from your new world. For a few fleeting moments you might feel like your old, childless self again, but it doesn't last long. For me anyway. I think this hit me the hardest when I leaned over, wine glass in my hand and lip gloss reapplied, and whispered to Jason, "I wonder if she's pooped yet?"
We had a great time. I had more than one glass of wine and watching pseudo-celebrities dance, as it turns out, is really, really entertaining. And, above all else, my mom's shelter raised a ton of money, and that was the whole point.
When we got back to his parents' house Adelyn was fast asleep.
And she did poop during our absence, I was happy to hear. Except her poor grandma had to change the diaper that was the culmination of two-poopless days. (Sorry, Janu. And thank you a million times.)