Politics as usual

I've been part of a playgroup for 3 years now. I met some of my closest mom friends by being a part of this group, and it's been a great way to keep active as a SAHM. But, as with any group you are involved in, the same 'ol, same 'ol gets old after awhile. I feel like I've outgrown the group and it definitely isn't the same as it used to be. Most of my closest friends moved on a long time ago (for a variety of reasons) and there are only a couple of people left that I even feel like talking to (sounds bad, I know). The same scenarios and issues seem to recycle themselves ALL the time and it just gets old. I know this problem isn't unique to this group, but I'm just done with it, you know? I'm left with really only one mom that I'm still close with, and she's going back to work in the fall. There doesn't seem to be any kids left for Ben either, especially because once school starts, not only are all those kids in school, but so is Ben (at the same time as most of the playdates). I'm just done. I find myself dreading playgroup everytime I go, when I used to LOVE going. I used to go to almost all the events, and now I have to force myself to fit in my one per month. GAH!!! Without going into many details, because I think everyone can read between the lines here, I also am finding that I don't want Ben around a lot of the kids in there either. :::backs out of thoughts slowly:::

So, my feeling out of place over time has put me in the position of broadening my horizons for other playgroup opportunities. I even tried starting one of my own, which was a total bust. One playgroup I tried (twice), seemed like a good fit. Lots of activities, especially for the younger crowd (which Ben was at the time), and moms that actually enjoyed being moms (a concept that feels non-existent in present group). It was fun for awhile, but the group was HUGE. I got "kicked out" because I spent the night in labor and delivery and didn't change my RSVP.
True story.
Ok, ok, I wasn't actually THROWN OUT, but I got a nasty form email reprimanding me for not changing my RSVP for an event. Yes, rules are important, I get that. However, it royally pissed me off that they didn't even know to think "hey, she's close to her delivery date, I hope she's ok".
Nope.
Nada.
Buh, bye.
You are not my mother, I don't appreciate being reprimanded for something so ridiculous. I already had to come home from the hospital STILL PREGNANT. How much more can a gal take?

This brings me to present day 2009.
I have found an absolutely AMAZING group of moms. I knew some of them from the above mentioned large playgroup, and a few of the moms have kids in Ben's preschool. It's a small, intimate group of moms that are absolutely fantastic. You know when you feel like you're doing it alone? Like everyone you know either has older, self-sufficient kids in a bazillion activities, OR they are happy-go-lucky couples and singles with no kids and no worries? Yeah, that's where I was at. Apparently all these moms did too. The ones that I have had the chance to meet have been absolutely amazing. They don't complain because they just want to sit on their butts on a picnic table while their kids play (or start complaining about the group not sitting together because some moms WANT to play with their kids). They LOVE being SAHMs and appreciate spending time with their kids while they're still young. They are exactly like me in SO many ways. I LOVE IT!!! Are there politics here too? Yeah, of course there will be at some point, I'm sure. Nothing is puppy dogs and rainbows all the time. But I feel like I am getting back some of what makes me, me again. Does that even make sense? There's a difference between venting the ups and downs of motherhood, and just being bitchy all the time. I'm a firm believer in that, if you don't like your life the way it is, CHANGE IT. So I've been increasingly annoyed with the attitude of so many of the moms in my present playgroup. Life is what you make of it, you know? After seeing so many close friends of mine experience hardships in even HAVING a family, it's hard for me to tolerate the same old BS anymore.

So, I'm going to end this entry by saying how fortunate I am to have found such a fantastic group of new friends. It's been a long time since I was able to have this level of enthusiasm for motherhood, and it feels SO GOOD!