what to do with ourselves on a kid-less staycation?

shortstack is going on a short staycation with his daddy for the rest of this week. this poses several mini crises for his mama ... first of all, we've been spoiled since the school year started, except for a brief christmas visit to AZ, shortstack has been with us constantly. this means that we have SO gotten used to his craziness and his kisses whenever and wherever. also, panda and i now have ... oh, 4 kid-less nights and THAT has an implicit expectation that we won't be boring, stay-at-home, parenthood-coma-induced adults. nope! we are supposed to "take advantage" of our kid-less state and actually go out and do stuff OR try to stay awake past 8:27 pm (which, if you've read some of my past blogs about date night, you will probably already have figured out that we rarely make it to 8:30. yes! we admit it! we're BORING!!).

and then there is the BIGGIE ... the ex is on the island ... and the island ain't all that big ... and we live very near to where the ex and our shortstack will be staying ... SO ... how do we not let it get to us? panda's been quite amazing about reminding me that since we can't control it, let it be and remember that we want shortstack to have fun with his father. my internal conversation goes something like this: ok, you wanted j.a. to be a part of shortstack's life in the first place so this isn't a bad thing. but j.a. put us through a shitty custody battle is a complete j.a.! yeah, but we don't have control over this now. yeah, but i should do something. stop it! just make sure that shortstack is excited about the visit. FINE! but karma's going to bite j.a. in the ass!! {first person to figure out what "j.a." stands for gets a prize!}

as i type, the little man is being picked up by j.a. and there's nothing i can do but hope that shortstack has a blast and comes home safe and sound. so, our angels out there, wrap yourselves around our little man and let him know that his mama and panda love him to the moon and back!