I LOVE GOING ON DATES.

Of course I love to date my husband...  but I'm talking about dating my little men.  My first date with Caleb, when we both dressed up and called it a date, was when he was four years old.  He took me to ISLANDS, for burgers and fries.  His Dad had given him money to pay and then reminded him as he harnessed him into his car-seat, to "hold the door open for Mommy and make sure you tell her how pretty she looks... because girls like that sort of mush."  

We don't do this often since we have three little boys and there always seems to be something fun we've planned for each weekend, but it's often enough that Caleb looks forward to whenever the next date will be.  And we mix it up too.  Last spring when all his pants were two inches too high we went on a date to Old Navy and the Gap.  When we had enough pants, shoes, shirts and socks we made a very grown-up trip over to Tilly's for "a hat like the one Jake wear's to church."  

Tilly's was the only place I could think of that would have such stylish hats so we ventured into the store with their deep base, music videos, and scantily clad mannequins.  We were five feet in the door when I realized this was probably not the right place to bring my 7 year old.  But the grey tweed bowler hat was nearly within reach and I vowed to be in and out before too much corruption had taken place.  That's when a very hip sales-teenager strolled up to us and asked if we needed help.  Caleb reached for the hat of his dreams and placed it on his head.  "Oh, no-no-no" said the clerk, adjusting the miniature bowler on Caleb's head "if you want to impress the ladies, this is the way you need to wear it.  Then do what I do."  And he struck the most ridiculous pose that looked like one of Zoolander's moves.

We thanked the pimp kindly and proceeded to the checkout counter where the sales-girl behind the counter squealed, "You are so cute, the girls are all going to want to be your girlfriend!"  

"He's seven" I said, signed the credit slip and moved out the door, passed the poster of three blondes in bikinis, straddling a surfboard with popsicles in their mouths.  Nice.

But this thought of impressing the girls with his new hat reminded me of why we were on the date in the first place.  Do we want him to be impressive?  Of course, but not because of what he's wearing on the outside, but what's been cultivated on the inside.  Our shopping date really wasn't as much about buying new duds... as investing our money and time in cultivating a gentleman's sensibilities in the heart of a wild little boy.

If you haven't done it yet, make a date with your first born son.  It'll be so sweet and reap not just fun memories but lasting lessons in how to treat a lady in the years to come.

Grand?  Lofty?  Impossible?  Maybe... maybe... but I don't think so!   (respectively).

Here's a picture of us today, on our date at a beautiful wedding on the beach.  He's standing up and I'm kneeling beside him on the sand.  It looks a little funny with my head right below his chin, but it's a good reminder that the day will be here soon when he is towering over me, ready for real dates.  But right now it's my turn to be his girl... and I want to take advantage of it for all it's worth!