Be the Ball

Today I spoke with two of my closest friends in New York who both gave birth at the same hospital, one on Monday and one two weeks ago. After hearing each of their labor stories in great detail, I am really starting to reconsider my issues with only children. Does Mr. Monk really need a sibling to learn how to share? Won't they teach him that in preschool?

Speaking of preschool, I was basically told by three different mommy friends this week that I am woefully behind in the application process. Say what? How difficult could the applications be? My son doesn't do or say anything yet. That's why he needs to go to preschool! Is the fact that he has blond hair when both his parents are brunettes "what makes him special?" Are the school visits code for interviews? I know I should, but I just can't be bothered to care about the preschool competition. When he drops out of high school to run a meth lab, it'll all come back to this moment.

Speaking of bad mommying, I realized yesterday that there is a reason that parents of young children tend to schedule their activities around their kids' naps. I used to think it was so annoying when my friends couldn't ever do anything during nap time, like it was the holiest of holies. I mean, who's in charge here? Ah, that was back in the days when my baby would sleep anywhere, stroller, car seat, wheelbarrow. But, when I met someone yesterday smack in the middle of Mr. Monk's nap time, I found myself in a world of pain. No coffee date was worth having him scream himself to sleep in the stroller only to wake up thirty angry minutes later or the general surliness he exhibited the rest of the day, including two of the longest 15 minute car rides ever. We had carguests and Mr. Monk decided to treat them to his best impression of a drowning cat. My friend I sang "The Wheels On The Bus" and "Old MacDonald" more times than I could count. For some reason, he finds my screetchy voice soothing (I actually think I saw my friend wince). So, from now on, I can no longer plan to leave the house between the hours of 10:30 am and 1:30 pm. The shorter, late afternoon nap be damned, Mama needs to play.

Speaking of playing, today was my husband's birthday and mine is on Sunday. Leos unite! We're having ourselves a partay at a friend's bar on Saturday. Sadly, 10 month olds are not invited.