We used to go on weekly dates, my husband and I.

The babysitter would waltz in, scoop up our baby and we’d run out the door. We could still hear the baby screaming as we rounded the corner but the guilt only lasted oh, about five minutes. A movie, dinner, or just sitting at a bar somewhere. Because of course, if you have a baby with you, you can’t. sit. at. a bar.

Then one baby turned into two. The hourly babysitting rate jumped from $8 to $11, then $12. It got so expensive we cut back to once every few months. Then never.

Now that the girls are three and five, it’s harder than ever to have a real conversation at dinner. They understand things. They’re always chiming in. All the more why we need time away!

Luckily, we found a teenager on the next block. She loves the girls and the girls love her back. (At $6 an hour!)

Now we’re date-nighting again. It’s not Air Force One ferrying us to a Broadway show and dinner in New York. (More like a cramped Jetta ride to Eat Street.) But it feels like it.

(If you missed the president and first lady’s night out sans kids last week and therefore have no idea what I’m waffling on about, here’s an account to make you sigh: If they can find time for date night…”)

Coincidentally, Cribsheet regular Lucie Amundsen’s mother-in-law just landed at their home in Duluth.

Next thing you know, she’s kicking them out of the house for some romantic time. (This happened yesterday evening.) I asked Lucie for a detailed report of what transpired.

“Even though I know Jason wanted to see Angel and Demons, he insisted we go to the Star Trek movie, which made me feel all gushy towards him. (It was very good, but there was a bunch of lines on the screen the whole time which made it hard to suspend reality - that, and the screen was just slightly bigger than my mac.) Then we went to Barnes & Noble and touched all the books we couldn’t afford.

It was very nice and I’m glad I cleaned the car before. It made it feel extra datey.”

Do you do date night?

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