The Secret (or not so secret) World of Play Groups

Finding the right play group is like going on a blind date, your never quite sure how its going to go or what your going to get until you get there. The truth of the matter is, it can be difficult! The group has to fit you and your lifestyle. Obviously a group centered around mommies being green, cloth diapering, and exclusively breast feeding is not going to be for me (although I don't see anything wrong with any of those things). They would think I flew straight out of hell with my pampers (with dry max!), fake boobs, and formula! What I really want is to surround myself with a diverse group of moms, with like minded values and in the same age bracket as me. Over the years I have found that some groups are very political, with a president, VP, etc. and expect you to be just as dedicated to it as they are, some groups will drop you if you don't go to X amount of play dates per month, some are invite only, some aren't welcoming of children outside their groups age bracket, some groups meet too much, some not enough, and did I mention that some are chatty? yes, very very chatty. It's brutal out there people!

I joined my first play group with Kay when she was about 6 months old. It started off as a story time/play hour our local library, then as we all became friends we kept it going and took turns hosting play dates and had meet ups at the park, that sort of thing. I was introduced to the "playgroup world" and it was fun!Then I met my husband and we moved across town, so I had to find a new group. I did, and we are still going strong! Our kids are all school aged children now, so our play dates are less often now; but summers, spring break, and holidays we always get together. It's a great group of woman and I get along with all of them well, and the funny thing is that almost all the kids are GIRLS! So I am set there...but now I'd like to find a group of mommies with babies for me and Miss M.

At this age it is more about interacting with other moms with children around the same age, and a way to meet new friends, and less about "playing". As they grow it evolves into something they really enjoy. They get a chance to socialize, make friends, learn how to interact with others, and visit new places. I simply cant imagine having kids and not belonging to SOME sort of play group. And since I am fortunate enough to work from home part time, I want to get out of the house and build relationships for myself. I have met almost ALL of my current friends because of Kay!

So now I'm putting myself out there on the play group market again! I have already been researching some groups in my area, now it's just time to get out there and meet up with some of them and see which one fits us best.

Wordless Wednesday

Meal Planning Monday

I know, I know I haven't posted one of these in a while. Its because I haven't been meal planning in advance the past few weeks and boy does it makes dinner time challenging. So I'm back to Meal Planning Mondays! You know I've been doing the food co-op thing for the past few weeks, so I have been planning meals incorporating those ingredients. I picked up my basket again this week, but they also offered an "Italian pack" for an additional $ 7.50. It included a eggplant, 2 zucchini squash, 1 big white onion, 1 small yellow onion, garlic, mushrooms, and TONS of fresh herbs!! I love cooking with fresh herbs, but they can get pricey. So I was thrilled when I say flat leaf parsley, oregano, basil, and fresh rosemary. Heaven!

Here is a pic of all my produce from this week's Bountiful Basket.

Here is this week's meal plan:

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Roasted Vegetable Ragu- I will also add my eggplant to this reciepe.

Shrimp Fajitas

Sweet Potato Crock Pot Chili- I try to make crock pot or other easy meals on my busiest days during the week, this one is interesting so we'll see how it turns out.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

I Finally Gave In

And joined Twitter.

Go ahead...laugh if you want to. I know I am really one of the few on the planet that hasn't already done so. But for the longest time I just couldn't imagine adding something else to the mix. I already frequent Facebook, the bump, another board, and I blog. So keeping up with something else seemed like a task. But I finally gave in and now I need friends!

Why now you ask? Well honestly there is so much more I want to share with you all that doesn't really deserve an entire blog post. Take last night for example; I was simultaneously baby wearing, cooking that also involved a grill, and drinking a little vino. I'm am pretty sure in some book somewhere it says not to do that. Plus there are so many more pictures I would like to share!

So if you want to join in on the insanity that is my day to day life, click the box below to follow me on twitter...gawd I cant believe I'm even saying that...but I look forward to following some of you too!

Happy Mother's Day

On this Mothers Day I want to thank my babies. I want to thank them for allowing me to experience the true meaning of life, for giving me purpose, and for showing me what real happiness is.

So to Kay & M, Thank you for allowing me to be your mother. I am truly the luckiest woman on the planet. I love you more than you will ever know. You are my best friends!

And to my mother, thank you for all you've done for me! No matter what, you've been there for me, whether wrong or right. You gave me life and I cant imagine my life without you!

And to all the woman out there still struggling to become a mother, I hope this is the last year you will have to endure mothers day with empty arms. Hopefully by next year year, your hearts will be full. I am thinking of you all today.

Belly Laughs

Little M just started laughing this week! It is the cutest thing ever. She laughs when I tickle her, and at her sister which is even cuter!! Just hearing her little laugh makes me so incredibly happy, it just instantly fills me with joy! How could you not smile when you see this?

4 Months

Oh wow polka dots! I love polka dots...

Okay, are we done yet?

I am about a week late posting this, but I wanted to wait until we went to her 4 month well check to get her stats. My little babes is 4 months old now! She is learning new things and growing more everyday! This was the first time after vaccines she ran a low grade fever, but she is happy and in good spirits today. The pedi said we could starts solids anytime between now and 6 months, but for that babies at 4 months of age formula or breast milk is still usually sufficient. So unless becomes ravenous, or starts to show more readiness signs, we are going to wait another month or two before we introduce solids. Well that and because I can bear the thought of her growing up ; )

- She weighs 13 lbs. 6 oz. (50th percentile), is 24 inches long (50th percentile), and her head is a whopping 16 3/4 (90th percentile!) Wowza! Kay had a big head too, but never 90th percentile!

- She eats 5-6 oz. every 3-4 hours during the day.

- She still STTN, sleeping from 8-8:30pm to 6:30-7:00 am. She goes down awake in her crib, I turn on her seahorse, give her a binky and within 10 min. she's out. No fuss, no muss.

- She is still in size 1 diapers.

- She really gets around! She can roll from her back to her stomach, but has only gone the other way once. Usually when I go in her room to get her in the mornings she is on her stomach. She rolls, and wiggles and cant be trusted to stay in one spot now. If you put her on her play mat, within 5 min. she's on the carpet somewhere.

- She wakes up and talkes to herself, she never cries in the mornings. She'll just babble and babble.

- I think we might be teething. She is drooling constantly and EVERYTHING goes in her mouth.

- She is becoming "socially aware" as my pedi called it. She will cry at a unfamiliar face that she doesn't like. (She cried every time she looked at my grandpa this past weekend, and cried when she looked at the pedi yesterday).

- She's found her feet! And even puts them in her mouth from time to time.

- She JUST started laughing this week...like real belly laughs!

- She loves: her Cindy doll, Sophie, bath time, rolling around on her play mat, chewing on stuff, and her feet, specifically her left one.

- She hates: being cradled, her sister smothering her, being on her tummy (for the most part), and getting in her car seat.

If At First You Dont Succeed

Every year of my adult life I have tried to garden (not even really garden just plant a few flowers for christ sake!) and every year I fail miserably. I defiantly was not born with a green thumb- more like a black thumb. I kill everything. I mean everything. Even the things they say are low maintenance end up dying after a month or so in my company. But I never give up! Every year I make a new attempt at gardening, hoping that maybe just maybe this will be the time that whatever I plant will flourish.

See, it always starts out great. I water everyday, give them plenty of sunlight, I talk to them and beg them not to die, and promise them that I will do better this time (because your supposed to talk to your plants right?!). I do it all! I really do try! Then all of a sudden its like watching a plane crash in slow motion and it all goes down hill. Soooo they die.

So here I am again...another year older, attempting to keep something other than myself, husband, or children alive. I think I keep trying because I really want to be able to grow things, and at this point it is almost like a challenge. So the other day I picked up some potting soil and headed on my merry way.

This year my victims are a early girl tomato's and sweet basil. I really wanted to plant some Italian flat leaf parsley because I cook with that all the time, but they were out...

Kay had a 1/2 day at school today, so while little M was napping we got to work. She had so much fun "gardening".

 

And here it is, all planted. Mr. Tomato Head, that's what we named him.

And here we are hoping, wishing, and praying we can keep it alive. Daddy was laughing at us.

How long will it survive? Now that I don't know.

But I promise you, I am really going to try my hardest to keep him alive!! I want this to work for once!

Picture Tag

Jaye tagged me in a game of Photo Tag. Here are the rules:

1) Go to your photo files, select the 8th photo folder

2) Select the 8th photo in that folder

3) Post that photo along with the story behind it

4) Then challenge 8 blogging friends to do the same!

Here is my picture:

This is me in September of 2007 dropping our wedding invitations in the mail! In some ways it seems like forever ago (when was the last time I saw that tiny waist?!) and in other ways it seems like just yesterday. I was filled with excitement as we were getting ready to start our lives together. It was such a happy time in our lives. It was the begining of "us"! I was a little stressed out with all the wedding planning, but this day was such a monumental day for me...hence why I had some random person at the post office take my picture : )

I now tag:

Mrs. Wilson
Blonde Ambition
Mrs. Amy B.
MAGMC
Young, Fabulous, and Pregnant

A Letter From Kay

Yesterday Kay wrote me a letter. She does this a lot, its fun for her. She even puts them in envelopes, so it's very official looking. So yesterday as she was getting ready to go to her Nonna's (grandma) for the night, she handed me a envelope and told me to open it later. So I put it aside and continued to pack up the whole house because it was also M's first overnight too! And babies need a lot of stuff. Anyways, I dropped them off around dinner time then me and the hubs went out to enjoy our first child free night together since Miss M graced us with her presence. Boy I was looking forward to that....Sex other than a quickie, staying up till midnight (I know so hard core!) and sleeping in (till 8:15) because after 6 years with kids that IS sleeping in!

I woke up this morning (to silence!) and poured myself a cup of coffee. I noticed her letter sitting on the counter, so I decided to open it...

WHAT??!! NUMBER 4? You mean to tell me all the years I wiped your ass and I'm only # 4?! Then I guess she felt guilty and decided to make me # 2. Gee thanks, still not okay. I picked up the phone to call my mom's and talk to her.

Me: Kay, I opened your letter. It was very nice but I noticed that I am # 4.

Kay: Yeah, but your really number 2.

Me: Okay, so who's number 1?

Kay: Mom, I'm busy watching Sponge Bob, I cant talk right now.

Click.

We're having a talk when she gets home!