Date Night

Last night, I went on a date with the best three year old around.  Robb and Ryan were off with either friends or pipers and Meri was at work.  We were on our own for the evening.

We started off the date by visiting my bestie and letting Leon watch a wee bit more of Toy Story at their house.

Then we stopped to pick up a secret Christmas present for him from his daddy.  He doesn't know what it is yet, but it's in a huge black bag.  And he won't find out for a month.

After that we went out to eat.  I thought we were going to have popcorn chicken at KFC, but he changed his mind and wanted pizza.  So we went to the only dine in pizza joint in town and placed our order.  I expected to eat a little of it there with him, then pick up Meri from work and let her eat a slice or two while driving her to Jazz band practice.  Turns out the pizza was too hot to eat there in only 10 minutes so we dropped off a couple slices for her as we found that she was getting a ride to band with a friend.  Oh well.  

So Leon and I went to the park and had a picnic.  Yeah!  It's 45 degrees out and we're picnicking at the park in the dark!  We didn't get out of the car.  He was pretty upset about that but I talked him into climbing into the front seat and we ate there.  It was still a novelty.

We enjoyed a very short walk over the park bridge and back.  It's pretty creepy out there in the cold and dark...  He was braver than me.  I've read too many scary books in my day.  Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Erma Bombeck, to name a few...

Then we went home.  I decided housework could wait, so he and I put together all of his train pieces into a massive track!  And Thomas the Tank engine went around and around until he derailed.  Ok, really, after he derailed 25 times.  That was our limit.

Limits are important.

We have 3 different train sets, but found that if we line up the tracks as close as possible, Thomas can jump the gap and keep on going!  

It really could!

Smart little engine...

 Then we went to pick up Meri at the high school.  On the way, Leon wanted to make some phone calls, so I got Grandpa on the line for him, then Maddy and Matthew's voice mails.  Leon was pretty grumpy that they wouldn't answer him back.  

"HELLO!?  hELLO!  He not answer me!"

I brought along the homework Leon had from preschool and we dug into it after I parked.  I'd texted Meri that we were there.  And just as I started reading him the book, she called and said she was home...  REALLY???  She'd caught a ride with a friend and thought I knew...

In theory, I could have had him at home most of the evening.  Oh well...  I read him the book and did the activities with him.  

Ended the day cuddled up with him in his bed and we told each other stories about when we were little. 

All dates should be like this...