{date night} happy birthday dream guy

Recently, Andras and I revived our Friday night date night tradition, something hard to do once you find out how much fun it is to be three. I hired a babysitter, put on high heels and my favorite jeans and met him out on the town. We ordered beer and too much food an had a real, grown-up conversation, looking in each other's eyes. I was giddy.

And then the wild mushroom toast arrived. It was luscious, fragrant of every seductive savory note. Except the mushrooms looked suspiciously like button mushrooms. I like button mushrooms, but I was dreaming of something a little more exotic. I hesitated, and Andras saw that look in my eye.

"They shouldn't call it wild mushroom toast if they aren't using wild mushrooms," I said.

"It doesn't matter love, it's delicious." he said. Always one to defend, never to judge. "And besides, its not about the mushrooms. Tonight is about us."

And then he slipped out to the men's room.

When he got back, he noticed my sheepish look.

"What happened?"

"The waiter and I got in a friendly conversation about the mushrooms."

"You did? How did it go?"

"I just told him that button mushrooms aren't wild mushrooms. I couldn't help myself."

But it turns out it was so delicious we couldn't have stopped ourselves from eating it all even if the restaurant had advertised the dish as golden mushrooms. And, more importantly, I was eating it across the table from my dream guy, so who cares, really, what kind of mushrooms they were. Thats the thing Andras has always known, and I've had to learn.

Today is Andras' birthday, and Greta and I are both taking him out on the town. And from my subway ride to meet them, I can't help but think how lucky I am to have the chance to love a man who doesn't care about the silly details, only the smart ones. A man who assumes the best of everyone, and especially me, even when I don't deserve it. I couldn't be more grateful for all the date nights we've had, and all the ones we haven't since we decided to share our lives with this little girl. And I couldn't be happier to be celebrating the day he was born.

Tonight, it would be just fine if our restaurant serves us button mushrooms, or premade pudding in plastic cups...Tonight is about this great man I love.

Happy birthday, baby.