How to pick up a new mom
Now that my mom has returned home (we miss you, Grandma!), I feel that my maternity leave has officially begun. I must now face the fact that I will be alone with Margo for 10 hours a day. As Miss Margo partakes in the nap cycle quite seriously, I have been wondering, how can I meet other new moms who will be cool, interesting, and fun to hang with?
A likely place: mom and baby coffee clatch at our local Community Centre. Margo and I set out this morning, she strapped into our new Baby Bjorn Carrier (a gift from Grandma - best gift ever!). I was very impressed with myself, getting the girl and I up, fed, dressed, and out by 10 am. (No small feat, considering Margo woke up at 9:00). Walking up to the Community Centre, I was slightly intimidated, what with the 25 or so Chariot strollers (aka the SUV of strollers) lined up in a row outside the doors, and I almost turned back.
Maybe I should have.
Ok, it wasn't that bad, but hard to imagine making friends with any of the people there. I'm not sure exactly why I feel this way, but I did not leave this morning with a cozy warm feeling. I think it felt a little like being the new kid in school, although never having had that experience I am only projecting. Most moms there had met previously, and had children around the same age . . . Margo was definitely the youngest baby there, and she played with her hands for a while before falling into a nice deep snooze. I found the room insufferably hot, and a bit overstimulating once the 'big kids' had arrived and starting playing with very noisy toys. One of the ringleader-type women kept telling very loud stories punctuated with many "Oh my Gawd" s . . ." I did chat briefly with a few women but no "love connection" was made.
I think this is harder than meeting a guy!
The day was made much better by a delicious lunch at the Pantry, the Centre's yummy vegetarian eatery, taken with the always enjoyable Lisa, proprietress extraordinaire of Octopus Books. A little laughter and some straight talkin' can do wonders to erase a bad memory. I couldn't help feeling like our lunch date was similar to a brunch date with a girlfriend following a night out with a new guy.
Hmmm . . where do all the cool moms hang out?? I'm on a quest to find out. I just registered for an Infant Massage class that starts on Monday and runs for four weeks. Lisa invited me to a Mom and Baby yoga class next week. S'all good! There are things to do, people to meet, and getting out and about is the first step! Man, I do feel as though I'm single, looking to meet someone. Can't you tell by all the exclamation points in the last paragraph? It's clear I'm attempting to give myself a pep talk.
I leave you with a picture of the girl, clearly exhausted by her social activities. She didn't even have time to take off her sweater.
- Donna
A likely place: mom and baby coffee clatch at our local Community Centre. Margo and I set out this morning, she strapped into our new Baby Bjorn Carrier (a gift from Grandma - best gift ever!). I was very impressed with myself, getting the girl and I up, fed, dressed, and out by 10 am. (No small feat, considering Margo woke up at 9:00). Walking up to the Community Centre, I was slightly intimidated, what with the 25 or so Chariot strollers (aka the SUV of strollers) lined up in a row outside the doors, and I almost turned back.
Maybe I should have.
Ok, it wasn't that bad, but hard to imagine making friends with any of the people there. I'm not sure exactly why I feel this way, but I did not leave this morning with a cozy warm feeling. I think it felt a little like being the new kid in school, although never having had that experience I am only projecting. Most moms there had met previously, and had children around the same age . . . Margo was definitely the youngest baby there, and she played with her hands for a while before falling into a nice deep snooze. I found the room insufferably hot, and a bit overstimulating once the 'big kids' had arrived and starting playing with very noisy toys. One of the ringleader-type women kept telling very loud stories punctuated with many "Oh my Gawd" s . . ." I did chat briefly with a few women but no "love connection" was made.
I think this is harder than meeting a guy!
The day was made much better by a delicious lunch at the Pantry, the Centre's yummy vegetarian eatery, taken with the always enjoyable Lisa, proprietress extraordinaire of Octopus Books. A little laughter and some straight talkin' can do wonders to erase a bad memory. I couldn't help feeling like our lunch date was similar to a brunch date with a girlfriend following a night out with a new guy.
Hmmm . . where do all the cool moms hang out?? I'm on a quest to find out. I just registered for an Infant Massage class that starts on Monday and runs for four weeks. Lisa invited me to a Mom and Baby yoga class next week. S'all good! There are things to do, people to meet, and getting out and about is the first step! Man, I do feel as though I'm single, looking to meet someone. Can't you tell by all the exclamation points in the last paragraph? It's clear I'm attempting to give myself a pep talk.
I leave you with a picture of the girl, clearly exhausted by her social activities. She didn't even have time to take off her sweater.
- Donna
This entry was posted
on Thursday, October 19, 2006 at 3:41 p.m..
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6:23 p.m.Hey Donna, I have So been there and done that, in Yellowknife mind you so I already had a base relationship with many a "chariot mom" but none the less, I feel your pain. It IS like trying to meet a guy, awesome analogy and SO right. You'll find "the one", don't worry!
10:14 a.m.
Ugh. Me too!! I finally gave up on our play group last week. It was much like your experience. Everyone was just weird. Hey! Let's start one ourselves!
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