About 2008/09
Once upon a time there was carefree and childless...
...And then 2008 had seen the birth of our first child. 2009 had seen a transformation in the quality of our couplehood. It had to really; long weekends abroad had become longer weekends at home, and we were both missing how it had once been...
Esme was now in our lives and Simon and I were getting used to being a threesome. Occasionally it took a little effort. Like when we walked to a nearby pub for the first time since being parents. We sat with a group of close friends (all childless at the time) enjoying an Al Green atmosphere, you know, the kind that sultry sun mixed with white wine creates?
Esme pottered about at our feet, playing sweetly with some baby toys, she was at that not quite crawling but still managing to move around stage. It was such a fabulous feeling to be able to have a drink and relax, after all it had been a while and we'd had a tough six months. The only thing that was lacking was... communication, for Simon assumed I was in charge of Esme, and I him. An easy mistake to make when you are both gagging to get on it and when the clime lends itself so readily to do so.
Meanwhile, a mad aunt of mine had phoned to say she was passing through the area and could she pop by to see us? I gave her the name of the pub. An hour later she arrived to find a whole table of merriment, and underneath it, Esme planted face down in the earth. Quite happy too.
The very next day we took an oath never to both drink in charge of child again. The reality was it had been a one off. A last minute grab to hang on to how it had once been; carefree and childless. Days that were of course no more. Bummer that.