First Friday #5: Owen and Papi

We knew that implementing First Friday was a good thing for our kids to get some one-on-one with their parents in a special setting, but I felt like this one was particularly important.

Owen is a study in extremes: beyond charming, funny, adorable, skilled, talented, thoughtful and generous.  He is also off the charts energetic, loud, and pushing buttons (emotional buttons) all the time.  And I tend to struggle with the buttons he pushes.

So I felt that this First Friday had particular importance for us to bond.  We needed it and thankfully we got it.

I gave him the choice of my picking where we would go (Heather had suggested Japanese Hibachi, which I would have been fine with though more her kind of thing to do, but I didn’t have another good option), or go back to his favorite: The Melting Pot (see Heather’s post from First Friday. He jumped at the Melting Pot.

We loved every minute.  We had a booth. He asked me to sit next to him, not across.  Drinks were had: O – Pina Colada with a real pineapple slice (virgin of course); B – Martini (Grey Goose up with a twist, not virgin).  We skipped the cheese fondue appetizer since he didn’t care for it last time. We split the caesar salad and Owen devoured his half.  Teriyaki beef and shrimp; main dish. Then we had to order a second helping.  Our server got a real thrill.

Milk chocolate dessert.  Owen had the human purr.  He loved it.  Dipping everything into Chocolate.

We talked the entire time. What is his very favorite thing to do (go out and do things), what does he want to do when he grows up (not be a doctor, since they hurt people), how to make fresh water when you’re stranded on an island, how to memorize anything (we’ll see if that sticks).

But most importantly, as the evening progressed, Owen nudged closer and closer to me until, by the end of dinner, he was just about sitting on my lap.  Cuddled with his Papi, and feeling secure, adored and loved.  Which he was.

I really can’t say who it was better for, and I suppose, that’s really not the way to think about it. How can we do this every other week, rather than once a month?