What no one told me about taking a 2.5-year-old to see a movie

I got brave on Friday and took my son on a date. David was enjoying some rare time playing poker, and I decided Noah and I would make the night special for ourselves.

I don't get out much these days, so the prospect of stepping inside a movie theater—I think for the first time in years—albeit with a toddler, made me a tad giddy.

The night prior, I ran a preview for "Planet 51" by Noah (a cartoon about aliens and a robot dog), and he seemed engaged enough that I thought we might have some big screen success. I think, perhaps, I could have benefited from some insider tips, like:

1. Take your child's longest sit-still-to-watch-a-movie time, and subtract 1/3-1/2 from it.
2. Buy popcorn, buy candy... but know that after a point, they become a distraction (hello sugar!)
3. Don't forget the booster seat (as I did). At one point I leaned close to noah and realized he could see about 1/2 of the screen.
4. Do sit in the back.
5. Practice whispering (as opposed to talking) in the car... and in line... and during the previews.
6. Scratch that, don't sit down until the previews are over.

We made it through 50 or so minutes of the movie—not too bad, I thought. Someday I'd like to rent Planet 51 to see the end (and all the moments I missed in between reminding Noah to sit, to whisper, to "wait one second" for another helping of popcorn).

I wasn't surprised that we had to leave early, but I was surprised when we got in the car and Noah—who had eaten a lion's share of buttered popcorn and chocolate-covered raisins—asked me "Are we going to dinner now?"

My growing toddler then sat down to a meal at Bob's and scarfed back an impressive grilled cheese sandwich with fruit and a side of pumpkin bread. The minute we got back in the car a little voice from the backseat piped up, "Can I have a snack?"

Apparently, the movie wasn't all the wonderful, but the food was obviously a highlight!