Sunday we had brunch with my mother-in-law and my wife’s sister who was visiting from out of town. My kids love their grandmother. Ears perk up and little eyes get all wide and glittery at the mention of her name. They become positively bouncy. Afterwards, she was kind enough to babysit for us while wife and I went to the Pantages theater to see a matinee showing of Movin’ Out. I can’t recall the last time we went out without the kids. It’s been several months at least. My wife was very happy to be out without them for a few hours. I felt a bit out of place without a kid hanging on me and I mentioned this to her. She said I was making her feel guilty because she had no such reservations and that perhaps I would feel differently if I was at home with them all day long. She was right, of course.

But still.

I thought briefly about calling home at the intermission but was worried that the ringer or the dogs barking at the ringer might wake them up. They were fine, of course. And when we picked them up they were both sleeping soundly. My daughter did register a complaint this morning though. She was upset that she didn’t get to sleep at grandma’s house. I told her that, technically, she did sleep at grandma’s house, just not all night long; but this was not a convincing argument, resulting only in the Furrowed Brow and the Huff. I diverted her attention by promising to play horses with her when I got home and this satisfied her.