To stay or to go is the question.



As much as parents complain about the constraints of life-with-baby, leaving a child behind for a weekend away is a daunting thought.



But a nighttime wedding is no place for a baby, I argued to myself recently. Especially a wedding complete with the promise of old college friends, all sans children, and a live band. Not to mention all the wine.



So, we’d leave our 11-month-old daughter, Nora, with my parents-in-law when we traveled to northwestern Virginia for the event.



The first weekend away from our child.

I wasn’t nervous at all about our baby and how she’d fare during our absence. She’d be showered with attention. In fact, she’d probably mourn her return to normal life come weekend’s end.



Strangely, I was only nervous about my own reaction to the trip. I stay at home with Nora and, believe me, I often long for a break. But this was a real break. This was no day out or night on the town. I mean, what would wake me up if not the sounds of babbling from the room down the hall? The whole concept seemed totally insane.



But – I had to admit – it also sounded totally appealing.



Sure, you and your husband or partner have date night now and then. You spend time alone after the little one’s gone to bed. But an entire weekend away is enough to truly reconnect with your pre-baby past – to indulge in a little well-earned selfishness.



Away we went. And what was the best part? Was it waking up at 7:30 a.m., then turning over and going back to sleep? Was it bringing a cup of coffee to bed to prolong the lazy morning? Dancing for hours?



For me, the most memorable part of the weekend occurred only minutes after dropping Nora off.  My husband put in a new album he’d wanted me to hear. We got on the highway. I suddenly realized, with the giddiness of total freedom, that we didn’t need to look out for rest stops or think about diaper changes. This was just the two of us. We turned the music up. Loud.

Cara writes at www.caramcduna.com.