Natalie and Piper, enjoying some popsicles at Piper's house after a hot and cramped (but fun!) Art Day in the Park with the Biscuit Brothers. Rob says they look like the Comedy and Tragedy drama masks in this photo.
People often ask me how I handle having two little kids, babies really, so close in age. If it weren't for good mama friends, I don't know how I would. We spend the morning hanging out with a mama and toddler at least once during the week, sometimes two or three times, basically as many playdates as I can schedule. Outside of the precious few minutes I get to spend with my husband now and then, and weekend trips to my parents' place in Dripping Springs, playdates are my only source of adult interaction.
Even when the playdates are chaotic, which is always a possibility with toddlers and a baby, they're therapy for me. Just talking to another mom (and sometimes dad) is reassuring and refreshing, knowing they're going through similar things with their kids.
They're even more important for Natalie, I think. She has never been in any type of daycare or Mother's Day Out program, and she's only been in nurseries a handful of times, and never with any predictable caregivers or friends in class. That will change when she starts MDO two days a week at Covenant UMC in September. But she has good friends already that she has come to know through regular playdates. Lately she talks about her friends when they're not around. When she goes to the park she asks for Lyla. When we're getting in the car she often asks for Piper. If I mention that we're going to Adriana's house, she won't stop talking about "Yana" until we get there. She knows Owen is our neighbor and asks about him when we're going to the pool.
In planning Natalie's 2nd birthday I'm delighted to reflect on how many friendships she has with little girls and boys close to her age, and how those are extensions of treasured friendships I have with the parents. Not surprisingly, most of the guests are parents and kids. There are some important significant others who are not themselves parents. I'll devote another post to these special folks one day soon.
I'm grateful for the friendships that have carried us through the joys and trials of these early days.
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