Friday, June 3, 2011

On (Play)Dating

Aiden has never had an official playdate. I, being his mother, would be responsible for that sort of thing and seeing as how I really don't know any three year olds other than my own, I have never officially organized a get together for my three year old and any other three year old. Whew.

A lot of it (all of it) stems from the fact that my only mom friends are the moms of my friends. Yeah. So anyway, I've kept my eyes open and tried to seize the mom friend opportunity when it arises except it never really does in any solid way.

Sean can't figure out why I haven't made any mom friends yet with the amount of time I spend bringing Aiden to the playground and library and story time. The thing is that meeting a new friend feels a lot like trying to get a date. I'll be at the playground chatting with another mom, who happens to have a child the same age as mine, and the whole time I'm trying to figure out how to broach the subject of a possible playdate.

But I don't want to be too forward! Maybe they actually live quite a long way away and are only in town for the day? Or their child goes to preschool everyday and today was just a day off and they don't have time for you? What if you think they seem really cool but they are secretly thinking you're really boring? Oh the anxiety.

I'm afraid of blurting out "Hi you're really nice and your kid is too can I have your number? You want to come to my house? LET'S BE FRIENDS'' and then looking like a creep. (Although my mom likes to remind me that she said something very similar to woman she was talking to 15ish years ago and they are super best friends to this day).

I had pretty much given up hope, figuring that when Aiden starts preschool he'll make his own darn friends and I'll stop having to be his wingman. Then one fateful day we met this very sweet woman with two adorable kids at the bookstore. Sean and I talked to her for quite awhile before we found out that she, and her 2 and 3 year olds, lives two streets away! Hark! What sounds is this? I do believe it is opportunity and it is knocking!

Both Sean and I did our best to casually mention how nice it would be for the kids to get together! (Wow, I sound really old when I say stuff like that). We outlined the ways in which it would be so convenient! And fun! Our kids! Playing together!

She nodded and smiled and that was that. We didn't see her again. Our hopes were dashed and now Sean understood how completely awkward it can be trying to make friends with a parent for the sake of your kid.

But! We ran into her again this morning at the very same bookstore! She immediately came over and said hello. When started talking about the kids and soon she said that her son would be done with preschool in three weeks and that we should absolutely get the boys together.

Sean and I were giddy and kept nodding and smiling and telling her we couldn't wait. After she walked away Sean asked "Wait, are we supposed to ask her for her number? Should we give her ours? Do we just casually run into her here again next week?"

And so, 3 weeks from now, Aiden is set to have his first playdate ever. We'll just be over here waiting by the phone.

1 comment :

Tierney said...

You are SO neurotic. I love you anyways :-)