Tonight we decided to take Cole to a restaurant. We were invited to join a group of folks (including several children) eating at Hino’s Japanese restaurant on Wellington, and I think we both felt it was high time to get out of the house for part of an evening. As the decision was made, it occurred to me that I wasn’t that worried about Cole after all.
Mealtime at home is usually a period of relative peace. In his highchair with a bit of food, that little sucker chills out pretty good. I was picturing a restaurant outing going fairly similarly, and I’m afraid to say (for the purposes of comedy that is) that it went as I pictured. To us, we could tell he was getting tired and a bit cranky-pants. But to the rest of the world he was this calm, happy, funny (and CUTE) little guy. As people often say, “remarkably well adjusted.” All it took was a bit of walking around, a bit of bread to nibble on, and he was distracted from his own growing grumpiness.
One thing that got a bit of a giggle out of his parents and a few other observers was his personal variation on the “face palm,” the “table face”. Donking his head into the table for entertainment is something a bit funny to behold. Beyond that, he was his usual charming self, with smiles and dimples for many, the occasional happy cooing sound, and only at the very end a bit of over-tired groaning.
He didn’t participate in the meal itself that much beyond some bread and a bit of stuff Alex gave him. The highchair didn’t have a tray, and though he could pull up to the table just fine, it would be too tricky to just pile food in front of him and let him go to it the way we would at home. But that’s OK; he enjoyed hanging out, and didn’t cry even when a couple of the other kids started screaming a bit. (thankfully, he hasn’t yet developed the urge to cry along with other kids when they start up)
Food at Hino’s was good if a bit ‘ordinary’. Company was good, and we spent a pleasant 2 hours out of the house.
Pretty tough getting him to bed… Alie fought well (I helped a bit, but ultimately dozed off with my head against the wall while she finished putting him down).
That’s about it. It was not too eventful on the Cole front. Although it was a success, I think we’d be tempted to go even earlier (17:00 sit-down time) next time we go out to a restaurant. But that option is now open to us! (and probably has been, really, for a couple months now)
