The LaGreca Family

I mentioned this in a previous post – but it’s such a big deal, that it TOTALLY warrants it’s very own post on the blog (besides, we have a picture of the two of us to prove it!)

Details on our date night:  First, we went to dinner at Outback Steakhouse.  Joe’s parents gave us a very nice gift card to the restaurant and we have been holding onto it until we had the chance to go out, and enjoy a nice meal. We got a drink at the bar and then enjoyed a nice, quiet dinner.  Fabulous – we treasured every minute (and I have to quickly say — the table right across from us what a couple and their young daughter, maybe 3 years old.  We both looked at each other, smiled and were thankful that we weren’t battling our 2 yr old at dinner).

After dinner, we went to the movies!  I know, it’s nuts – we did the traditional, “Dinner and a Movie” date.  It was so awesome.  We really don’t see/watch that many movies (because we lack the time AND because it seems like most movies these days aren’t very good, and when we do have the time to sit down for 2 hours..we are mostly disappointed in Hollywood..for wasting 2 precious hours of our time!)  BUT – we picked a WINNER this time.  We saw The Blind Side, with Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw. We really liked it – ALL 2 hours of it! Not a waste of time at all – and actually, I would LOVE to see it again.  I highly recommend it – if you want to see a good movie (and true story at that!)

Going back to my “Totally Random Thoughts” post a few days ago, Thought #10 – I was saying that I love my friends. Well, here is one of my chances to say THANK YOU to our dear friends, Jen and Tre.  They offered to babysit NCL on a night that we chose (that would work with everyone’s schedule), so that we could go out on a date.  Jen and Tre just celebrated their 1st anniversary in November – and they don’t have any kids…yet   So, I have to admit, it feels a little strange to have them babysit our little one. NOT at all because I am nervous about leaving the house…but more because I feel like it’s not fair that this young, newly married couple should spend a perfectly good Saturday night at our house – playing with, feeding, bathing and rocking our boy. Shouldn’t they be out on their own “date night” on a Saturday night?

The Harris’ have babysat NCL many times before and they always say the same thing — “he was so EASY!” — I think that is why they keep coming back. That…and they also enjoy cuddling up on the couch (after the boy is in bed) and watching a movie & eating popcorn/ice cream. If that is all it takes for them to be happy – then we will “invite” them over anytime to babysit…and we will always have ice cream in the freezer…he he.

As we walked out the door — this is what we saw:

You might say to yourself “What kind of babysitters did the LaGreca’s find???  I assure you, NCL LOVES Tre!! If Tre puts him down — he uses his “baby sign language” and signs “MORE” until Tre picks him up again. I was also told that NCL would only go into the bath if Tre would come with him into the bathroom.  Very cute   Tre is the oldest of 3 boys…so, he has LOTS of little boy play time under his belt.  THAT is the kind of babysitters we look for! It doesn’t get better.

Just like last year…the little man was not a big fan of the big man – in a red suit. I don’t blame him one bit. It’s gotta be pretty scary to look at a guy in a red suit that has to be at least 15x your size and you can’t really see his face. And since NCL is only 2, he doesn’t really get the “Santa is good – and brings you presents on Christmas.”

I hope we aren’t bad parents for not pushing the “Santa thing.”  I don’t want to scare NCL – and I figure, we will have at least 4-6 years coming up that Santa will be HUGE in our house.  I am totally ok that this year isn’t the year (especially since we won’t be home and don’t have much for NCL to open on Christmas morning..not that he needs anything!)

And, just like last year – we didn’t go out and seek Santa, all decked out in our “Christmas outfits” – hoping that we could get that ONE great picture of NCL on Santa’s lap.  I am absolutely sure that I mentioned this last year, but I am just NOT about to pay $20 for a picture (and that is AFTER waiting in line for an hour+ to see Santa). I don’t need that kind of pressure (nor do I have that kind of free time).

BUT, just like last year, it just happened to “work out” that we got to see Santa and attempt a picture on his lap.  Our church preschool actually put together a “Breakfast with Santa” as a fundraiser.  So, last Saturday morning – we went down to the church for a yummy pancake breakfast – donated money to the preschool – AND, we got a nice family picture with Santa, (NCL is not smiling, but at least he is facing the camera and not screaming, right?)

The best part about the whole morning (for NCL) was the little candy cane he got from Santa’s Elf.

Yes, it was very messy…and sticky….but he loved it.

It’s so fun to be part of a church that has fun-festive events for the kiddos.  And I just love that Nicholas knows exactly where we are going when I say, “it’s time to go to church” – He gets excited to go and I can tell that he feels “at home” at FHPC