a one-on-one toddler outing

Sam and I have started arranging our schedules so our toddler gets a one-on-one date with a parent every week, usually on Wednesday afternoons. These are usually fairly mundane trips to the library, park, or even to the post office and then out for a $1 ice cream cone, but lucky for us, she's two years old so those little trips are about the most exciting things in the world. And honestly? Our little dates are also really fun for us. Leaving the house with just one child is something of a luxury these days.

Last week I planned to go to the library with Claire, but we only made it as far as the courtyard outside. Swinging on bike racks and jumping off large rocks was much more appealing. So we spent an hour playing, running around, and lounging on a picnic blanket. Claire loved eating veggie straws and stealing my hat, and I loved soaking up the last of the not-too-hot-yet Phoenix weather and watching my daughter be so happy.

And yes, I did fit an entire picnic blanket inside this diaper bag. It's the JJ Cole Arrington tote, and seriously the designers thought of everything when they made this bag. It has a coordinating changing pad, insulated bottle pockets, a padded electronics pouch, and tons of interior space and pockets. I normally push for a backpack-style bag, and this one is not a backpack, but it comes with stroller grips so you can hook it right on to the stroller, which I do all the time. It's amazing to not have to carry your bag at all.

I really love this bag, and hey, if you're going to take a diaper bag out with you every single day for at least two years, you might as well love it, right?

We made a quick little video of our outing as well. Click below to watch it! I still can't get over her cute mischievous face stealing my hat.

You can browse other JJ Cole diaper bags available at Babies "R" Us here (we also have a slightly older version of the stone arbor backpack and love it).

Anybody have ideas for indoor toddler dates?

I think our outdoor dates are quickly coming to an end as the temperatures rise.