Love, cocktails and cake, good food and dancing, love, more cocktails and laughter. Last weekend Mr H and I escaped family life for a little date day. For the first time in what feels like forever we managed to talk about us, us as a couple, our marriage, our relationship, our jobs, more than we did our gorgeous little boy. And whilst to some of you that may seem a strange thing to say, for us it was a stepping stone. A step back to a time when only we existed, and whilst I wouldn’t change our little family, not one teeny weeny bit it felt truly wonderful for it to be just us. Just for a few hours.
It felt lovely to remember who came first in the relationship, that before Lil G, our commitments and life as we know it, it was us; Simon and Kerri-Ann. Not mummy and daddy. And whilst I would never wish for life to be any different than it is today, it feels nice to be at the centre of my husbands attention. Does that make me sound selfish? I’m trying not to sound selfish or feel guilty as I write this blog post but I truly believe that love is important. To be loved, and to love but more importantly to still love each other.
A happy couple is not a perfect couple, I am sure that we are far from being a perfect couple, but we are happy. A happy couple is a couple that over time evolves, becomes stronger; through sickness and in health, redundancy and financial struggle, parenthood and in celebration come together, stay together and most of all love each other. A great relationship isn’t luck, and doesn’t just happen, it is something that requires effort, attention and a kind heart. It requires honest communication and openness about any worries, fears and sadness, as well as hopes, dreams and happiness. The importance of being earnest.
Most importantly and something I often wonder in so many relationships that I see slipping away, do they make time for each other? Just like most things in life, work and pleasure, if you neglect it, it will neglect you. If you neglect your relationship, your relationship will neglect you too. With busy schedules I think it is so easy to forget to be together, to relax and enjoy each others company. To look back at significant moments, to remember the good, bad and ugly but also to laugh, smile and to cherish those ordinary moments. Ones which often disappear in a world of busy schedules, play dates and homework.
Putting this post together got me thinking about the importance of remembering our relationship milestones. And so, in a bid to remember them, to have them written down and to see how they may change over the years, I thought I would share ours with you…
- First date
- First declaration of love – those three magic words
- Moving in together
- First commitment – rescuing our fur baby
- First holiday – we went to Turkey
- Engagement – in Central Park, NYC
- Marriage
- Honeymoon – travelling around Thailand
- Becoming a family with the arrival of our gorgeous boy
- Remembering to be us, when date days were invented
And here are a few photos from our little date day in Manchester, a day where we added another relationship milestone. Whilst this one may seem a little less spectacular to those listed above, you may even chuckle, but, it meant something to me.
You see, my husband is somewhat camera shy, however after a cocktail or two, I persuaded him to sit in a photo booth, to be silly and to allow the camera to capture a moment in time which I will forever remember. Remember it as being a day that we were a couple, husband and wife, remembering to love each other. A day where we came first, before our little family, where we existed in our own little bubble only to be burst by waking the next morning excited to see our gorgeous boy. Where we fought over who was going to drive and which of us would knock on the door first.
And in case you were wondering, Mr H won, on the plus side I did get to see their embrace, being mummy and daddy truly is a wonderful thing.
What are your Top 10 moments in your relationship? Or what would you add to the list?
KA x
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I’m Kerri-Ann or KA as my friends call me, always found with a cup of coffee in one hand and my camera in the other. I have a huge passion for photography, fitness, fashion and family travel. I started this blog in 2014. It began as my creative outlet after becoming a mummy to our little boy George Archie. I started out blogging about parenting and over the years it has evolved into a blog that covers lifestyle, fashion, family and travel. Today TheKAEdit is ultimately a life and style blog. Thank you for reading x x
You just bought a tear to my eye KA. It’s so easy to forget your hubby when dealing with work, kids, home and life. They are the one you want to share it all with but tend to come last on the list. Me and B have been together over 10yrs while watching so many of our friends relationships break up and I know how lucky we are but at the same time I know we certainly dont spend enough time on us as a couple. Thanks for this little reminder! X
Aww you’re so right Gemma and thank you for popping by and reading. It would be so easy to forget us as a couple wouldn’t it but you’re right after a long time together relationships do still need a little work x
Love this so much and agree with it all! We don’t get many date days it and about but we always make time for each other at home and have film nights with a takeaway, I always look forward to them and love that after all the years we’ve been together he is still who I want to spend my time with. Also, you look awesome!! So glad you enjoyed yourself, such a sweet post xx
Aww it’s so nice to hear you say the same, and that you do still make time for each other. I think it makes a huge difference. Even the small gestures say so much. And thank you honey, that means a lot X X
Lovely photos! It’s nice that you guys managed to celebrate with the kids. I don’t remember the last time we did that, though to be fair, we do like to celebrate with our little one too. I so agree with you, a happy couple isn’t perfect, it’s knowing that we have faults too and acknowledging them together 🙂 #wotw
Aww thank you. We celebrate so many things with our gorgeous boy but it is nice to be a couple and spend time together x
I think you’re so right, it is important to focus on yourselves as a couple as well as parents, and it can be tricky to do. Fortunately we do spend our evenings together and grab the odd day here and there just the two of us – in fact we have one next Friday and I can’t wait! Thanks for sharing with #WotW x
Aww I do love a date night, enjoy it my love x
what a lovely post. I had a vary rare night away with my partner in September, it was lovely to be just us for a while. We missed the kids but still enjoyed our time together. We don’t do it very often but that makes it even more special. I love your photo’s, your outfit is beautiful. I’m glad you had a lovely time.
Thank you honey. I think that’s it isn’t it, still missing your child but still enjoying your time together X
Aww! This is so lovely! It sounds like you had a wonderful time. It is important to have time just as a couple.
My fella and I struggle to get a babysitter so it’s just lunches or coffee out while the kids are at school.
#WotW
Thank you Kim, I’m glad you still manage to do little things though as even that helps to keep things alive X
I really loved watching your Insta stories from your date. Chris and I ‘date’ in the same way usually once every 6 months (if we’re lucky). Totally agree with everything you say as well, it is important to make time for each other. If it was easier to arrange, & would definitely do it more often! Xxx
Aww thank you honey, it’s so important but like you its all in the timing and babysitters although we are lucky to have a few. I hope you have a lovely weekend x
This is such a timely reminder as I’ve really been feeling the need to reconnect with my husband recently. Having children is so much harder, on so many levels, for a relationship than I imagined. It throws all the cards up in the air and it takes time for them to fall and then for you see if you like the new arrangement or what you need to tweak and I think we are in that phase now. And like you said, life has ups and downs and to remember to approach them together and with a kind heart. Thank you for this post. #Brilliantblogposts
Oh I completely agree, having children tests your relationship like nothing else I think. I think you have to give yourself a gentle reminder every now and then of who came first x
A date day sounds wonderful. Such a great idea and one that we need to adopt! #wotw
It certainly helps us to reconnect. Enjoy having your first date day x
Lovely sentiments KA! When I read something like this I really go into self-analysis mode – you know I broke up with my husband of ten years in February – but its much more complicated than just forgetting to make time for each other. Now I’m at the very beginning of a new relationship I actually feel excited looking forward to all those milestones (if it works out!). Glad you had such a lovely day together – the photo booth photos are so cute! And thanks for linking up to #thetruthabout! X
Aww thank you Sam, I did think about you when I linked in up. Congratulations on the new love, I hope it goes well and full of lots of happy times x
Love the photos from the photo booth and sounds like you had a lovely time focusing on being a couple rather than mummy and daddy. So important to make time for each and to refocus on your own relationship regularly. #thetruthabout
Aww thank you, the booth was 5 mins of fun. Its difficult to sometimes but so important x
Ah this is lovely KA and it’s clear that you make time for each other as much as you can. I didn’t realise you got engaged in NYC. We are lucky that we are getting more and more time with each other, now the kids are getting older. Infact we had 2 mini dates at the weekend. Ok one was a swim/gym but we enjoyed a coffee and a chat without any distractions after. We are off to Birmingham in 3 weeks for an overnight trip, and I am so excited. Hurrah for being in love and date days/nights x
Thank you Tracey, such a lovely comment and I am so glad that you are off out to enjoy a date day or two. And yes, we got engaged in NYC in 2008. Have a lovely weekend x