Whisking My Husband Away for a Day of Birthday Adventures

I’m a mom in my late twenties and almost every day I spend most of my time trying to balance deadlines and more deadlines.

Guess that’s the story for most of us though.

But then…there are those few epic days sprinkled throughout the year, right?

And one of those has to be my husband Matt’s birthday.

So now you just hold onto your seat while I tell you how we went waltzing through New York City and how I managed to surprise him with some FANTASTIC adventure gifts for him!

The Great Escape

Okay I mean we are parents so we can’t just up and leave for the day…duh.

So what did I do?

Yes, I planned a whole “escape” plan.

Am I making it sound cooler than it was? Also yes.

Now here’s the deal:

It was not easy to have that one kid-free day or even a few hours, but thank god for our superhero nanny Linda.

We got up super early, left our little munchkin in Linda’s very capable hands, and left the house.

In hindsight, when Matt thinks back about that morning he said he could tell something was definitely going on…

Our First Stop: Breakfast!

Not the healthiest choice, I know. But hey, who’s trying to be healthy on their husband’s BIRTHDAY?

Matt and I both agree that nothing screams EPIC DAY AHEAD like a stack of chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup dripping onto your plate.

So that’s how our day started!

I had my grand idea all planned out…but over breakfast, I let him know “Babe…we’re going adventuring today…”

Matt was…evidently confused but excited nonetheless, so that’s what we’ll focus on. Heh.

Adrenaline Rush Part 1: Go-Kart Racing

Okay, let me break this down for you in a few words.

The vibe? Fast and Furious….minus the illegal activities.

The result? Well I totally smoked him….twice. His ego will recover eventually.

Don’t get me wrong, I did give some thought to do a birthday-sympathy-letting-him-win lap but honestly I would never live it down and we’re both too competitive for that nonsense.

So…we raced like maniacs is all.

It honestly just felt like we were dating again but with much better haircuts.

A Quick Bite for Refuel

After go-karting, we headed to grab a quick bite at a sandwich place.

Hello, pastrami on rye!

This was at an adorable little deli that Matt spotted as we zoomed past at like…50mph?

No idea how he managed to spot it.

Maybe the adrenaline from part 1 of this date had already kicked in…

Adrenaline Rush Part 2: Kayaking

Hey! When I said adventure gift — I meant ALL out okay?

So we get ready for our kayaking 101 session at Hudson River Park and go to the pier.

It’s probably one of my favorite paths in NYC because you pass by places such as Intrepid Sea while getting mesmerized by the beautiful skyline New York City has to offer!

Now if you’re wondering about how well we did…I would say we paddled like pros. (If you ask Matt, he’ll probably just tell you that he’s glad we didn’t fall in….)

But seriously…can we talk about those views!?! 

We got to see The Edge and Central Park Tower too!

My thought process then:

I don’t want to leave now…How do I live here forever?

Chill Time: Coffee and People-Watching

Listen, we’re not in our teens anymore. We get tired easily and need our little breaks every now and then…

So, we did what any sane adult would do:

We took a little break with some espresso near the river.

(Yes, I was an idiot for ordering hot coffee on such a warm day)

And obviously watched people walk by as we “gossiped.”

C’mon — don’t lie to yourself, you love gossiping too…

Adrenaline Rush Part 3: Laser Tag

There’s our last “adventure.”

To give you some context:

Matt and I went laser tagging as teens A LOT. Like half of our dates back when we were 16 included laser tag.

So…the scene? A dark room…with glowing vests…and fake guns.

The action? Tactical maneuvers and light-saber noises…. from Matt of course (not the equipment).

We had SO much fun doing this again and honestly it made me feel a bit better knowing that we’re both still as good at laser tag as we were 5 years ago.

The Grand Finale: Dinner with a View

Finally, The BEST For Last…

Yes I’m cliche like that.

I just HAD to end Matt’s birthday celebration with dinner at his favorite spot, okay?

Great.

But in all seriousness, I am SO happy this is how I ended Matt’s fabulous bday celebration.

Not only did we have the best meal (the butter cake is EVERYTHING), but those city lights played as the PERFECT background to my toast:

“To us, to love, and to living life like it’s one big adventure.”

(Cue tears…actual tears.)

And That’s A Wrap!

On the way home from dinner that night, Matt and I were talking about how much experience gifts really mean so much to us because they are refreshing moments where we can just be US…and not Mom and Dad too.

Oh and also…Matt is already planning my birthday later this year as “revenge” for how good today was…Wish me luck!