The Mommy Groups

Being new to town, there are certain things that a mommy must do.  Join the local library, get a feel for the new school, find new playdates and try to get a new social life.  In an effort to get a life, I got online and joined a few social groups in my area.  One for knitting and a couple of mommy groups for new babies.  We'll call call the mommy groups Blue Group and Red Group.

The first thing that I noticed was the way the groups described themselves.  Basically advertising the type of women they want to have join.

Blue Group wants quote "NEW" unquote moms.  I put it that way because it's in all caps and quotations marks on the site.  Later in all caps it ask that you only join if your first baby was born in 2009.  I'm not saying this is wrong, it's what they are looking for and that's fine.  The group is about getting used to your new role as a mom, whether you are at home or not and the babies making friends in the same age group.

Red Group describes themselves more casually and with three more paragraphs.  It's a bigger span, 2009 and 2010 babies, and is more mom focused.  Making friends that are also pregnant or have babies, sharing experiences, etc.  Once the kids are here, they can make friends also.  It asks that you maintain a certain participation level, but they are also calling out for first time moms.

Again, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this.  In fact, I can understand why.  Mostly that it avoids having older children running around the newborns and cuts back on the chaos that can occur with bigger kids.  Also, I think that it is assumed that moms with bigger kids already have friends that they can relate to on a mommy level. 

Since I am new to town, I have no friends.  So, I sent an email to both groups asking if it was okay if I already had an older kid.  She's in school, so I won't bring her to the baby play groups, my baby wants friends too, I'm still going through the same emotional stuff, blah blah blah.  Red Group said it fine that I'm not a "new" mom and they have other not-new moms.

Blue Group -- no reply.  So, I hunted down the organizer, ummm I mean, I went to a playdate that the organizer was also attending.  It was a walk by the beach and very nice, but I asked up front about the new mom policy.  She said that they are strict about being new moms, but since the group is so small, that as long as I am active (1-2 activities a month) that they won't kick me out.  Oh, and they have kicked out a bunch or inactive moms already. 

Once again, nothing wrong with that. I got my answer.  I'm still in Blue Group and have even hosted an event.  I guess I'm active, so I get to stay.

There is going to be a lot of blog worthy stuff that comes out of this.  And you know, in the end, I think that Chicklet liked the Lapsit Storytime at the library the best.

Kidlets

Here is something that is a little fun. I recreated a photo for comparison.

Chicklet @ 1 day

The bumble bees on the blanket are so big compared to now.  

Yesterday, Chicklet @ almost 6 mths

She's really growing.

Wednesday

It's Wednesday, right?  So many people do things on Wednesday, WIP Wed, Weird/Wacky Wed, committing myself to writing a post every Wednesday Wed.  For me it's just Wednesday.

As far as my WIPs go, I still have them.  I made a little list a while ago and realized that I forgot some items.  Mainly a sweater.  My old knitting group reminded me that I had it.  Now I am torn about what to do for the Winter Ravelympics.  I was going to make a Springtime Bandit, but now I am thinking that I need to finish this sweater.  I'm about a third of the way done.  What do you think?

My little list is coming along.  I have finished the Baby February Jackets, but still need the buttons.  I think that I am going to make my way up to Fullerton to a shop where I should of bought the buttons I liked when I saw them.  I hadn't cast on the sweaters yet, so I didn't buy buttons, but they were perfect.  I finished the Rainy Day Mitts and delivered the yarn to Senora Fuerte, but these also still need buttons. I'm also a third of the way through the first baby blanket.  My goal is to have it finished my the Olympic Opening Ceremonies, baby shower the following weekend.

Wow, when I write it out, I have done a lot... since November.  That's a lot for my schedule.  I'll post pictures soon.

In the meantime, I'm going to steal an idea from the Boring Knitter, we're friends so I don't think she'll mind.  Every blog post she has a section called Beasts and shows of pictures of her dog and cats.  I'm going to do the same, only with my cute and adorable beasts kids.

Kidlets

Here is the whole family plus my dad.  This is just before Christmas having lunch at the beach.  We love that you can have lunch like this in December. 

Chicklet @ 4mths
Chiquita @ 6.5yrs

Into the Vortex

I imagine that you figured I was sucked into the vortex that is Farmville shortly after my last post almost three weeks ago.  I promise that is not what happened.  In fact, there was even a small period of time when all my crops died and my Petville pet ran away.  Then Farmville had a land increase and there was reorganizing of all the farm animals and trees.  Farmville is a bad, bad thing.

But, I wasn't completely sucked into that gaming world.  In fact, for a week I avoided the computer during the day.  I had this making a ton of noise and making the house uncomfortably warm.  LG and I spent most of the time in the backyard or upstairs trying to hide from the noise. 

 

You get one of these in your dining room for a week when a certain upstairs bathroom appliance decides it doesn't want flush water anymore.  Then the water decides to come out the ceiling downstairs.  I was having serious issues and never ending headaches.  It was so nice when the noise finally stopped. Cause who wants to post a blog when they have a headache?

 

 LG didn't seem to mind the noise so much. 

 

Neither did BG. And who wants to blog when they can be playing with these two?

They did get bored when the next week was followed with lots of rain in SoCal.  No playdates for a week was really stinky.  It was getting pretty depressing here for a little while.  And who wants to post a blog when it's rainy and depressing?

It's been so nice this week being able to get out and about again.  It started raining a little bit again today and we will have a bit more before the end of the week.  It's not suppose to be nearly as much as last week.  So, hopefully I'll be blogging a little bit more.

Chicklet Photo @ 5mths

Farmville

I can't do it. 

I can't give up Farmville.  It's just so easy and if I plant more than 1 day crops, I don't even need to get on it daily.  For some warped reason, this game is fun.  So, I'm keeping Farmville... and Petville and Happy Pets.  The pet games are half BG's.  She likes to change Cutie's, from Petville, clothes and play with her kitties. 

I have gotten rid of some of other Facebook games.  Pet Society and some Island game never really had a chance.  I haven't gone near Sorority Life or the Mafia game.  Other games I'm going to stop playing, Yoville.  It takes way too long to earn any points to get cute stuff for your apartment.  I refuse to put any real money into these games to speed up the process.   I can't even remember the last time I played it.  Zoo World is also going.  I'm over it.  Get ready to have a lot of animals gifted to you, sister. 

As I list these, I realize that Facebook has a lot of ways to waste time and I'm not even done yet.

Fishville and Happy Aquarium are the last two.  I have a real live turtle that gets less attention than those games and he's way funner to mess with.  Umm I mean play with.  One can't really play with a turtle, or torture a turtle... what is the point behind this pet?  We did take him out the other day and set him on a towel on the floor.  That got about 10 minutes of let's stare at the turtle and see if it tries to run away.  It didn't happen.  Next time I may try to lure it out with a cucumber.

Oh, and on a final note.  If Chicklet seems small in the picture up top, it was taken in October.  She just looks like she doesn't want to give up Farmville either in it.

A New Year

Happy New Year to all of you.

We've had a fun holiday.  In fact, it's not over yet.  We've had guests at our house every weekend except one since Thanksgiving.  Next weekend is going to be the last.  That's what happens when you tell people that the baby doesn't travel.

Chiquita would also like to make an announcement for the new year.  She does not like the name "Chiquita."  She would prefer to be called "Princess PuffBall."

Okay, that is not going to happen.  She doesn't like being called Chiquita, though.  We will have to figure out something new for her.  In the meantime, we'll make it easy.  BG and LG for Big Girl and Little Girl.

Knitting has picked up a little.  That is translated as Chicklet will play on the floor by herself for a little while every now and then.  I sometimes think about staying up at night and catching up on the DVR and knitting.  I usually go to bed because I'm too tired by the time I can do something for myself.  I normally only get free time early in the morning while everyone else is sleeping, but I've gotten up to care for the baby. I spend most of that time on Facebook or the Wii Fit.  We are having a lazy night tonight and Chicklet's sitting happily on my lap right now...  and just spat up on me.  BRB.

That was fun.  Now that we are all in our pajamas.  Homework has been done and bedtime stories need to be read.  We have a fun little life here.

This New Year I have made a resolution.  To write a schedule and stick to it.  That is going to include blogging.  Maybe that way I can actually write on this thing regularly.  I am going to have to give up some of my morning computer time.  Sorry, Farmville.  I love you but you really are not a productive hobby.