First Valentine's as the Hartwells

So this happened tonight.

First Valentine’s as the Hartwells

Our first Valentine’s Day as actual married people, and we decided to do it right. Well, as right as two 20-somethings with a one-year-old and student loans can manage.

Grandma Patty swooped in to babysit Sophie (bless that woman), and we went to this Italian place downtown that we definitely can’t afford but whatever, it’s Valentine’s Day. Marcus cleaned up real nice in that button-down - I keep forgetting he’s actually handsome under all those graphic tees and plaid shirts. And I wore a real dress! Like, with heels and everything! Haven’t felt this dressed up since our wedding.

The restaurant had cloth napkins and everything. We split an appetizer and pretended we weren’t calculating the tip in our heads. But you know what? Sometimes you gotta celebrate being young and married and ridiculously in love, even if your bank account is crying a little. Worth every penny to see Marcus try to be all suave ordering wine like he knows what he’s talking about.

Now we’re home, Sophie’s asleep, and I’m already back in my pajamas. But for three hours tonight, we were just Elena and Marcus again, not Mommy and Daddy. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need.