See how I’m gettin’ all bloggy and stuff. What the hell? Who turned me into a regular writer. Oh that’s right. Taking my own assvice from that whole blog carnival thing. Thanks Jen.
Ok, you guys guessed it right. I should have made the trivia much more difficult and said no Google (Neal). We are headed to lovely Anchorage, AK. My best friend Jake just had a beautiful baby girl so I have to go and do my obligatory baby sniffing. In years past baby sniffing has made me want one so we’ll see how this trip turns out. Last time Jake had a baby, Quin, she even washed him before I got to sniff him. Since I’m the mother to a particularly odoriferous toddler child washing is not a necessity. So you’re off the hook this time Jake.
This morning I continued with Project Get My Kid Out of the House. We headed off to our local, and regular park. As always my child stood around and watched all the other kids play. There was a bit of the crying and whining when another child would play on his bouncy car. The boy looked at this child as if to say, “that is my car. Don’t even think of getting in it or I will melt your face off with my laser beam eyes.” Then something miraculous happened. While my child was blissfully playing in said bouncy car a girl (older I might add) came and sat in the car with him. He was ok with this. But this little girl’s bff, who’s mother calls Bear, was not so pleased that some other kid was sitting next to his woman. And lemme tell you this boy was much larger than the boy and could definitely lay the smack down on my pip squeak. Of course my child would try to reason with him first seeing as Bear was lacking in the verbal skillz area.
While I watched all of this transpire I couldn’t help myself doing a little comparing. Most moms sit around and compare their children. Not me. I sat around and compared myself to all the other moms. I was dressed nice, yet comfortably. I had remembered to brush my hair and of course I wore a pair of cute tennis shoes. For all my work at making myself look presentable, I still compared myself to them. Why? They each had a friend. Two moms sitting here or there. An obvious play group having lunch on a blanket. “Hi Betty,” or “Hi Susan,” when someone new arrived. Where was I? Sitting along on a bench.
Frankly, I’m jealous. Sure it is easy to say look in the paper and find a play group. Or take your child here or there. But I’m socially awkward. Really. I have such a hard time making friends. I lack the ability to start a conversation. I would love to have a girlfriend that lives down the street or within a short distance. Sure Neal, you are a great friend, but would you have appreciated me phoning this morning and asking if you wanted to go shoe shopping? I didn’t think so.
I’ll keep trying. We’ll make regular trips to the park and the pool. Hopefully I’ll make a friend when preschool starts. Who knows. Anyone want to move to my neighborhood? There are plenty of houses for sale. (That last one is right across the street from me. Your view out the front would be my lovely garden!)
Oh I would love to live down the street from you – our boys would have such fun playdates!
I’m not good at the friend-making, group-joining thing either. I’ve tried, I’m just uncomfortable. Zeeb hasn’t had a single bona-fide playdate since he came home. I let him play on our backyard playground while I chat long distance with old friends. 🙂
You’re correct, not a shoe person…
Yep, me too. We have been in Oklahoma for over a year now and the only friend I have made is a very dear, older lady whose husband works with my husband, they live in our neighborhood and she showed me around when my husband was interviewing here. It’s just not easy making friends these days and I tend to be a content homebody most days. You’ve inspired me. I will be posting some pics of my front flower gardens soon:).
I would give up a whole lot to live in your area and be friends…you could sniff my baby when she gets here and everything, I wouldn’t mind =) I like Portland but it’s not where you live and well I want to live where you live, have family and friends around, what a novelty!
I would love to live across the street from you…. we could have wine & whine playdates… where we drink wine and whine about our issues… oh the shoe shopping and hair conversations we could have..
You know my story… I had Tea with all the mothers today and while I was breathing like I had run a race… I tried to seem really “normal”.
No new friends and no maybe’s either… I am decidedly anti-social and apparently odd.
First of all, thanks for the chocolate fix. Good thing I had a board meeting today and had already broken my diet. Second of all, I know how you feel. We moved to my husband’s hometown two years ago. We had a great neighborhood where we used to live. Our best friends lived across the street. We spent so much time in the yard and the garden and garages drinking beer and grilling out. Now I have none of that. I love my husband and I love my in-laws. But I long for that girlfriend that I can hang out with and go shopping with and drink wine and get drunk with. It sucks. So other than commiserating with you, I have no good advice. Sorry.
We have a summer event called Tour of Anchorage for playgrounds. It’s facilitated by different parents each year, parents that were very involved with the local hospital’s Cuddlers and Cruisers groups (for newborns and toddlers, respectively). The idea is that each week the group meets at a different playground around the city, with two days to choose from (this year it’s Fridays and Saturdays, last year it was Wednesdays and Fridays). The list is emailed out by the Cuddlers and Cruisers hospital facilitator in the spring. The group meets regardless of weather, and is around lunch time (10 – 12 this year). It’s a great way to meet people, see some nifty parks that may be hard to get to, and learn more about your town. The file that is sent out includes the dates and locations for the entire summer, a description of each park, and directions to the park.
Elle – maybe you could start a group like this if there isn’t one in Tacoma? (I added the details due to my email being obnoxious so I couldn’t send you the actual file. I’ll try again later.)
So if I move into your neighborhood, can I abuse those snotty neighbor kids??
And spring/summer is here. You’ll be out more often and as Pickle warms up to the little peeps, the moms will start to flock. But if they’re pains in the ass, run away.
Alright, I know I’m your mom and there’s no playmates for my grandson but I’d hang out with you anytime! Seems that your blog tells a different story about you being socially inept. Looks to me like you have tons of friends. How can I put this eloquently….hmmm…Paranoia will destroy ya!
I would love to move down the street. I have the same problem. Never before in my life have I had such a problem making friends as I do with the other mothers. Its really hard.
Elle, I loved this post. So I’m not alone in my friendlessness? Good to know. Thanks for sharing.