^ I mean... really! ^

Years ago at a tiny little restaurant in the Poconose (that still served lamb chops with that eerily glowing blob of mint jelly) where we celebrated getting engaged, we overheard someone saying that they were sent there because they were looking for a "white table cloth" restaurant. I just loved that. From now on we separate restaurants into - fast food, chains and "white table cloth" (meaning fancy). Where am I going with this??? Well this weekend we took Birdie to her first "white table cloth" restaurant. Bonus that they actually had white table cloths!! Mon Ami Gabi has long been a favorite of ours but ever since Birdie was born we're been nervous to go to a place like that with with her. Well ladies and gentlemen it was a roaring triumph! She sat in her high chair like a big girl, played with all her toys and was generally a lady in every way. No meltdowns, no fussing just a very happy little girl that kept eyeing her mama's croque monsieur. 

I suppose the lunch being a success gave us a jolt of confidence and we decided to head into the city for some gelato. Birdie got a nap in while mama and papa talked and enjoyed some good music and we arrived in DC at the most magical hour. The street lamps were coming on, people were slowing down and dusk began to settle over the tree tops. We shared a chocolate hazelnut gelato at Pitango, picked up some flowers at a very crowded Whole Foods (I don't have that luxury back home) and then we set out for a lazy stroll down 16th street. 

Our weeks have been crazy lately, busy and utterly exhausting, so we really try to cherish every minute of our weekends. During tough weeks they stand in stark contrast to the hurried dance of monday, tuesday, wednesday... It's nice to slow down, hold hands with your love and maybe even make out like teenagers in a shaded side street. 

The truth is it's hard to acquire true relaxation with a baby in tow but this Saturday we actually managed to achieve just that. It was kind of shocking actually. It was just the three of us, no grandma or grandpa to pitch in, and somehow it ended up being a perfectly marvelous and lazy day. We may have even fooled ourselves into thinking this could potentially be replicated again...