• About
  • Speaking
  • Consulting
  • Amber Hinds

  • Journal
  • Press
  • Contact

Amber Hinds

Nantucket, MA
Uncategorized
/
August 18, 2011

A New Date Night

Tuesday night is date night around here.  As soon as Mr. T leaves, we change our clothes, do our hair, and make sure we’ve gone potty before heading out the door.

I’m talking about me and Nora, of course.

It’s worked out that most weeks, I take Nora into the Brotherhood once for dinner.  Since we’ve started going to library Toddler Time on Tuesday mornings, we’ve been having our date night that same evening in hopes of a few extra moments with Dada (to make up for the lost morning).  If we get there not too long after five, we can usually spend at least ten minutes with him in the kitchen before things get too crazy.  Then we head out to “our” table in the back corner of the upstairs dining room and get a little energy out before the food comes.  At that time of evening, we’re generally the only ones upstairs, so Nora can be a little bit rambunctious without bothering anyone.

When our food comes, we “ooh” and “aww” at the deliciousness of Chris’ specials.

Nora, too, gets a special meal, along with her favorite once per week treat:

ketchup!  She loves it.  I’m not the biggest fan, but I figure eating it once a week at Chris’ restaurant isn’t the worst thing.  I did decide this Tuesday, though, that I am going to start BYOK, because they have Heinz ketchup at the Brotherhood which has high fructose corn syrup in it (the organic variety I found at Stop & Shop does not).

Over the past month or two, Nora’s developed a regular order: the kid’s fish with veggies and a few sweet potato fries instead of french fries.  She loves it all, including the fish.

I go back and forth on feeding Nora fish.  It’s a good different protein source for her.  There are tons and tons of studies about the importance of omega-3’s from fish in brain development and other areas of health, but mercury, PCBs, and dioxons are commonly found in fish, which is troublesome.  There’s worry about the environmental impact of over-fishing/bottom-trawl fishing, which has to be weighed against the fact that here on Nantucket, this is one of the ways that we can eat local and support our neighbors.

For now, she’s on a once-weekly fish diet (I consume less).  I think there is enough research that shows the benefits of fish consumption outweighs the risk, so long as weekly consumption is limited and certain fish are avoided.  (There’s great regional seafood guides on the Monteray Bay Aquarium website.)  She only eats fish at the Brotherhood, because Chris buys it and I know it’s quality product sourced locally and that the type of fish on the plate is the type of fish on the menu.  I do worry about cod, which is one of the “eco-worst” fish choices, yet is so prevalentat  every restaurant on-island, and does sometimes end up on her plate (see above).  I guess this is one area in which I am not perfect.  We don’t avoid it completely, but we do strictly manage consumption to a degree which could serve as a model to others…or so I tell myself to feel better when she does eat it.

After dinner (and really long tangents), we cleanse our palate with lemons.

And sometimes get dessert.

Unnaturally blue ice cream colored with blueberry juice, not artificial colors.  Even if there’s nothing  factory-made in this it still unnerves me.  But it does appeal to kids…including mine.  Though, given the choice, she would choose the berry trifle or Chris’ to-die-for mousse over blue ice cream any day.  Good girl.

After dinner, we pop back into the kitchen for a fast goodbye, then head up the street for a ritual pirate visit and balloon squeeze.The candy store always has balloons outside and she is obsessed!

We meander slowly down Center and Main, checking out the sights, and enjoying a rare night out past 6:00.Once we hit Orange Street, I load her into the stroller or carrier of the day so we can make tracks for home, bath, and bed.Date night has become such a wonderful ritual.  It’s my one night break from the routine of dinner and dishes, which is nice, but it’s really wonderful because of the time with Nora.  As she grows, she’s becoming quite the talker and she makes for a very lovely dinner companion.  Nora’s already able to tell stories and talk about her day.  And, despite her shyness while there, I know she really enjoys visiting Chris at work.

It’s funny, but I never would have thought that I couldn’t care less about not having a “date night” with my husband.  But here we are.  Chris and I love time with our little girl so much that we aren’t willing to sacrifice time with her during his one night off, and I get my night out fix with just the company of a (nearly) two year old.

 

2 Comments
Share
  • Lovelorn Poets
    August 18, 2011

    Nora is getting so big! So looking forward to seeing you all in October (it’ll be here before we know it…).

    Reply
    • Amber
      Lovelorn Poets
      August 19, 2011

      Can’t wait to see you too! And yes, there is pretty much no baby left!

      Reply

Leave a Comment Cancel Comment

Recipe Rating




Previous Post
Wordless Wednesday: 10 Month Time Study
Next Post
End of Summer

Life Right Now

aucoeur

View

Feb 7

8 1
Open
I started a podcast with Chris and our business partner, Steve! We'll be releasing episodes every Monday on website accessibility and craft beverages. Check it out or subscribe at AccessibilityCraft.com.

#podcast #podcaster #accessibility #accessibilityforall #accessibilitymatters #accessible #a11y #WordPress #webdesign #webdevelopment #websitedesign #ux #usability

aucoeur

View

Jan 22

12 2
Open
It's that time again... Girl Scout cookies! And this year we have two selling. Help them meet their cookies sales goals by ordering online. 

If you live nearby, choose girl delivery and help get cookie boxes out of our garage... Otherwise we're going to be giving them Girl Scout  Cookies for birthday and Christmas presents all year.

Addie's link: https://tinyurl.com/2os3rmdy

Zara's link: https://tinyurl.com/2nev4fs3

aucoeur

View

Nov 30

15 2
Open
Bus stop selfie with Nora. This week she moved from her tiny charter school with only 18 eighth graders to the public middle school with over 200. And now she rides the bus.

The charter school wasn't challenging her enough, has a huge percentage of students who are disruptive in the classroom, and has been having trouble keeping teachers. Last year she loved it. But this year it was one thing after another, so right before Thanksgiving she and I went to go tour our neighborhood  middle school, and she immediately wanted to make the switch.

We've never had a kid in public school and I was nervous about how the transition would go from such a small school to a big one, but so far she's loving it and is glad she decided to move schools. It helps that she knows kids there already from her dance team. Hopefully she'll still be happy when she starts getting homework. Coming from a no homework school that may be a shock to us all.

aucoeur

View

Nov 16

7 0
Open
My three year old girl. 💕

aucoeur

View

Nov 1

11 0
Open
Halloween 2022. Two witches, a murderous cat, and a creepy Victorian doll. 

Zara's costume was my favorite this year - Nora did her makeup and she wore my flower girl dress from my mom and step-dad's wedding. She might have worn it better. 😂
  • Start Reading
  • Explore Topics
  • Get in Touch
  • Subscribe

COPYRIGHT © 2020 AMBER HINDS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Site Powered by Pix & Hue.