Date night with Charlotte

We really wanted to take Charlotte to see a display of Christmas lights nearby and so after talking about it we decided to make it a night all about Charlotte.  Jason came home a tad early and we dropped James off at Memma and Papa’s and took Charlotte on a date all by herself.  We wanted it to be a night where she was the focus of both of our attention so maybe if she was feeling the growing pains of adding to our family they would be abated.

Before we headed out I took Charlotte for a haircut and on the way there I was explaining what we were going to do.  And Charlotte said, “Jamesy’s coming with us?”  I told her that James was staying at Memma and Papa’s and she got a little distraught and said, “I want Jamesy to come with us!!”  She said it a few times but I tried to tell her that this was a night all about HER!  She finally caught on to the catch phrase and when she told Jason later that James wasn’t coming with us she told him that it was “A night all about ME!”

We started our evening off at Charlotte’s (and our) family Mexican restaurant.  I have never wished James handled cheese better than I did that night!  I missed out on the cheese dip but I think Charlotte ate her share and mine!

It was so nice to sit at dinner and just focus on Charlotte and talk to her.  Even though James basically sleeps through dinner’s out right now we still didn’t even have to think about whether he was doing ok and I think Charlotte could tell that all of our attention was on her and enjoyed it!

After dinner we headed to the “Gall-ee-ee of Lights”.  It’s two and a half miles of Christmas lights and Charlotte loved every second.  She enjoyed seeing storybook characters come to life, Santa and reindeer, lots of animals, and other but the highlight for her came at the end.  She spotted it before we did and we all of a sudden heard her yelling, “It’s Minnie’s Rainbow!”  The display ends with a rainbow and it’s still what Charlotte talks about.  She is hoping that she can talk someone in to taking her back!

We have big plans to have one of us take Charlotte on a one-on-one date each month starting in January.  I’m guessing that it will be something that we have to make a priority or it will slip away from us but I’d like to continue that as James gets older also.  I hope that it helps them remember that even though we are one family, they are a very important part of it and we love them so much!