This weekend my incredible husband decided to surprise me for our anniversary. Our actual anniversary was on Wednesday but with the holiday we decided to save anything big for Saturday. After much misdirection and a reeeeaaallly long car ride, we arrived at the first of a couple destinations.
Long (wonderful, romantic) story short, he took me to some local Maryland vineyards where we spent the day with wine, cheese and merriment.
But it was at the second vineyard where I saw "the parents I would like to be".
We stepped into the second vineyard and immediately knew we would be staying for a bit. Fireplace, extensive olive and cheese menu, beautiful artwork...the cheese menu. So when we were heading up to the tasting area and were told that the tour was just beginning we decided 'why not?'
The tour began right outside the front doors...now, let me preface this by saying that I was born and raised in Mn and lived for years in Chicago...but for Maryland, it was cold!I would say it was 35-40 degrees but the wind! Whoo!
So we started right outside the doors and continued up into the actual vineyard to see the dormant vines. Now if you haven't ever walked through a vineyard before let me say that it is not exactly easy terrain. First you're walking uphill. Second, you're walking through areas that have been hoed or whatever for the coming season. It's rocky, bumpy and not at all made for say, a stroller, no matter how off road it can go!
So there's this couple on the tour with us. First of all, the fact that they brought their mini me to a wine tasting at all earns my respect. Second, they just went with it. The owner of the winery kept checking on them as we trudged up the hill and they were just fine the whole way. They picked up that all terrain baby buggy and lugged it up the hill like nothing, baby wrapped up and all! And they kept going as we went down the hill across the property and into the barrel room. And when the babe got a little fussy, dad picked him up and was like "Hey little dude, look at all the cool wine shit"! It was awesome.
Yes, I realized that there were other factors involved. It was a pretty laid back tour, the baby was incredibly well behaved considering he was maybe 6 months and for all I know they could have tasted already and let the little buggar join them in one or two.
My point is though, I hope that I have the patience, relaxed nature and sense of humor that these parents have. Having a child did not keep them from doing the things they loved no matter how much of a hassle it seems to just bring the kid along. In a day and age where it seems to take an hour and a half just to get a kid strapped into a carseat it was nice to see that this did not deter them.
That is the parent I want to be.