What did we do before we had kids?

As Josh was bathing Jonah and I was feeding Meredith for the fifth time in a three hour time span the other night, we had a discussion about what did we used to do in the evenings and on the weekends before we had children. I faintly remember fancy dinners and happy hours in uptown during the week and shopping at trendy boutiques in Highland Park Village. We went to the ballet, attended concerts, and musicals. We visited friends in Austin and Houston on the weekends and took Riley on frequent trips to the dog park. There were get togethers at our friend's houses and we saw every new movie that came out. We could read the New York Time's best sellers latest novels in two days. We worked out together at the gym, played tennis and hit the golf course from time to time. We seemed very busy!

Now our idea of a fancy dinner is getting take out from Del Frisco's and eating it front of the TV in our PJ's while catching up on episodes of Supernatural and Smallville. Our happy hour is walking over to the bar area in our house and pulling a bottle of wine out of the wine rack from the wine club we joined a couple of years ago and pouring a glass. I have had to find boutiques that are within a 10 mile radius of my house but now my outfits need to slim certain areas and lift others. The last musical we saw was the Backyardigans and the last concert we went to was the Wiggles. Riley's only social interaction now with other dogs is during his walks around the neighborhood with Susan (aka Oma). Instead of frequent get togethers we now see and catch up with friends during our children's birthday parties and we are up to date on the latest movie releases from "On Demand". The only novels we read now are filled with pictures and are less than 25 pages. We still have the gym membership but these days it's more like we just make a monthly donation to Lifetime Fitness (just doing our part to help boost the economy).

But at the end of the day I wouldn't have it any other way. Yes, we had to tweak our lifestyle when we had children but now our life is a lot more fulfilling! And we finally understand the real meaning of the word busy!

Here is a poem that I found online that seemed to go perfectly with the theme of my post! You'll notice I made a couple of minor changes.


LOST MEMORY

I think I've lost some memory
since Jonah and Meredith were born
I don't remember sleeping late
on a lazy Sunday morn
I don't remember quiet dinners
with candlelight and wine.
Or getting up and ready for work
and making it there on time.
I don't remember summer days
just lounging on the beach
And those memories of "girls' night out"
are somehow out of reach.
I don't remember long warm baths
with bubbles and a good book
Or my favorite TV program
or a movie worth a look.
I can't remember all those things
I spent time on yesterday
And I can't remember life
being any other way.
And as I lay them down at night
and kiss my precious little boy and girl
I can't remember so much happiness,
such love and joy in my world