I keep on putting off blogging until I have a nice chunk of concentrated and calm time to write something of substance and quality… but then that never happens. And so in lieu of that illusive post, here’s a weekend update punctuated by only the highest quality of grainy cell phone snaps. Consider it my early Valentine’s Day gift and may it hold you over until I find that magical moment to wow you with a scintillating post of Crockpot musings or a recap of the world’s laziest Whole30 that we finished. Get excited.

Baby free and crayyyyyyyyy.

I am a firm believer that couples need dates, even after babies come and suck all your time, energy, money, and a hefty chunk of your brain cells. Time away from tiny people with not-so-tiny needs reminds you that you do in fact like Other Parent, and have liked them since long before you routinely saw them covered in spit-up. Of course, I can enjoy the distinct snobbery of being a Parent Who Routinely Goes On Dates because we have a posse of siblings nearby why are ever eager and willing to babysit the Hankster. Were I to actually have to pay for an evening sitter, and you might find me changing my tune real fast.

Ignore Henry’s highly skeptical expression. He knows that Aunt Ruth and Uncle Lyman’s house is approximately six thousand times more exciting than his own.

But Friday night was extra special because my brother and his wife invited Henry for a sleepover! And we happily agreed, because we are not idiots. We left Henry with them Friday night and hit the town in time to get dinner and a movie (LIKE IN A THEATRE! WITH PREVIEWS AND POPCORN AND IT IS ONLY THE SECOND MOVIE I HAVE SEEN IN A YEAR!), and still made it home in time to be in bed by midnight and milk every last second of our baby free night to sleep in the next morning.

All about the bear-meets-dino aesthetic that the Hankster has been sporting lately. Which makes sense, since he doesn’t dress himself.

And Henry? He maybe didn’t miss us at all, sleeping a solid 11.5 hours before partying hard over breakfast and then passing out again in his bear suit.

So serene! Meanwhile, at home, Henry was attempting to remove every single pot and pan from the shelves.

After returning Henry home, I slipped out to snap some pictures of our friends’ newborn baby. She is all that is perfect and tiny and I am just over the moon about more babies arriving in our posse of friends and neighbors. A new baby also gives me an excuse to make these and then eat way too many of them.

Y’ALL. This baby was the sweetest. And so much beautiful black hair!!!

Somewhere between Thursday and Saturday, Henry took to crawling, and we were ECSTATIC for all of .68 seconds, before realizing that we live in a death trap with cords, outlets, sharp angles, and zero baby proofing. Our TV perches precariously on a bookshelf with tantalizing wires hanging from it, and our router just sits beside the couch, beckoning Henry’s preferred method of exploring, which is to shove any and all new objects into inquisitive mouth. At least, any objects other than food, as the kid has zero interest in feeding himself.

Seconds before he almost launched himself to the floor, and hours before the crib was set to the lowest position. Only 78,658 death traps left to remove.

We went out to Virginia for games with friends Saturday night and I ate lots of chocolate cake, as it was our first day free from Whole30. That chocolate cake mix had taunted me from the cabinet the whollllllleeee 30 days, but alas- I am triumphant. There is no picture of the cake, as my presentation was lacking, since I used an upside down Tupperware bowl in the absence of a cake carrier.

Oh hey, white dishes. Just like everyone else on the internet.

On Sunday we had friends over after church for brunch, and I made these biscuits. Mine still didn’t rise up like the evasive biscuits of my dreams, but we survived. And thrived. And ate lots of them.

Breakfast sandwiches!

Plus, these two babes and besties took great naps and then looked awesome in their sleep sacks.

When they go to the prom together someday, I am going to request a similar pose. And outfits.

We finished the evening with Apollo 13, as seeing Hidden Figures on Friday had us excited to watch anything where the question of will the heat shields hold??? was at the forefront. Halfway through we tried to pause it and had to find a whole new way to finish it, since Henry has drooled in the remote to the point of short circuiting it and we couldn’t find our scene again after accidentally restarting it.

And that’s enough excitement for one weekend, so – the end.

WEEKENDZ ARE THE BEST EVER.