Imperfectly Perfect

Last night, I embarked on a Mommy & Son date. Which meant I was taking them out to dinner. Alone. By myself. Solo parenting.

It wasn’t the first time I had ever taken them out. We have had countless lunch dates and the occasional dinners. But last night, the odds were stacked against me.

Independent two year + a too short nap = A tiny little terror

Things started off perfect! We headed to our local Chili’s who was hosting the special date night. I was given a flower and the boys were each given a goodie bag {full of Super Hero treats!}. We sat down in a special booth complete with table cloth.

A manager was walking around snapping pictures of the moms with their boys. She later brought it out printed and in a frame. Something to remember that night.

Thankfully, that picture was snapped when the evening was peachy keen. I knew it was too good to be true. They both ordered their dinners when the waitress asked. They played nicely as they waited for their dinner to come out. They even actually ate their dinner!

It must have been too much for my little one to bear because shortly after his last chicken nugget was consumed the tiny terror was released.

There was screaming, both happy and upset.

There was kicking.

There was biting.

There were tears…from the 5 year old sobbing that his brother had ruined his favorite night ever.

There was nothing I could do. Reasoning with a two year old is like, well, I don’t even know even what to compare that one to. I tried to calm him down. Normally, I would have taken him to the car but I couldn’t! The check needed to be paid and, you know, there’s the 5 year old.

I was never so happy to see the check arrive!

One would think that I would have called it a night but I’m a glutton for punishment. I ended our night out with a trip to Target, the holy grail in our house. By then, the tiny terror had retreated and I thought we would get through the quick trip unscathed.

I thought wrong.

A bathroom emergency with my oldest left with me with a bathroom wall licking, biting tiny terror. Again. And, yes, he was licking the bathroom walls. Why? Hell if I know.

When we finally got back home, I was done. Beat up. Pushed down. Throwing in the towel.

And then, Ethan took out the picture. A picture to remind us of our special night out. Taken before the tiny terror had been unleashed. When all was right in the world.

The perfect is far beyond perfect {blurry, overblown} but there we are. Smiling. Having a great time. And it’s us.

imperfectly perfect-1

Imperfecly Perfect.

Linkup up with Things I Can’t Say’s Pour Your Heart Out. 

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28 Comments

  3. Very sweet photo. I think photos with the people you love are always perfect. Who cares about blown highlights at least you are together with your tiny terror and your bathroom wall licker. HILARIOUS!.

    1. I know! It made me stop when Ethan was proud of the picture. He didn’t see the imperfections. He just saw us and our night out!

  4. This reminds me of SO many outings when each of my boys was little. They are 22 and 15 now, and we all laugh together over stories like the bathroom wall licking! Perfect would be so boring – imperfectly perfect is much better 🙂

    1. I know we will laugh about this years from now! But now? So not funny…well maybe just a little.

  7. The thing is….you tried. And that crazy, imperfect night? It’s a memory that you’re going to laugh about…someday in the future. Perhaps the far distant future, but you will laugh. 😉

  8. What great memories you are making with your boys! My son and I go on quite a few date nights and he loves it, but there are times when he is a terror and I threaten him that we’ll never do it again. You’re doing a great job, Mom, and those boys will forget the terror times and just remember their special date night with you. After a few days/weeks, you will look at that picture and only remember the happy moment as well.

    1. I think the next time, I’ll just do a one-on-one with the 5 year old. He was really enjoying it up until the tiny terror was released!

  9. Judging by the pic, it was a lovely night. 😉

    I try to remember that I can only ask of my kids what is age-appropriate. And if they are doing something that kids their age do, well- that happens. And also that the behavior usually seems so much worse to me than it does to others who would walk by.

    1. Pictures speak a thousand words, right? 😉

      I know his behavior probably seemed a thousand times worse to me but you still can’t help to think everyone thinks you’re crazy!

  10. Story of my life. In the beginning I am all “Easy Peasy!” by the end of the dinner I am sweaty, angry, tired and sore from all the wrangling.

  11. LOL!! Oh yes, I’ve been there. Believe it or not, dinners will get quieter, trips to Target will involve your “little” boy pushing the cart while you try to keep up with him cuz his legs are longer than yours, and temper tantrums will be a distant memory. You will have to contend with acne and backtalk instead, but hey, it’s all good. Hang in there, mama! 🙂

    1. I know this will be a distant memory way too soon! And, the backtalk from the 5 year old has already begun!

  13. I often find my craziest days are our most memorable 🙂 I have a 2 year old so I know your pain there’s no stopping them when the beast is unleashed LOL

  14. Ah, the two year old. I remember those days all too vividly. I love the licking the wall part. I know you weren’t laughing, but I was. Lol! Hang in there. Okay, well then you have the just as terrible three’s, but it gets better at some point, right?

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