Tuesday, February 06, 2007

"You look a little scared"

About a million years ago, on one of my first days staying at home with an 8 month old Talker, we walked up to the neighborhood park. I thought the exercise would do me some good. Turned out the boy liked to snooze in the jogging stroller, so it was a good combination.

When I got up there, it was the scheduled time for a Mommy and Me playgroup. Most of the families lived in the neighborhood, but I did not know any of them. A few knew me as the guy who had big white dogs. But I was not being drug down the street by Bill and Ben. I was now holding a baby boy. And he was a lot cuter than their ugly babies. So they were jealous of that.

I got a varied reaction form the moms. Most of them just carried on with mommy playgroup stuff. A few mommas looked worried that I was in the park at 9:00 in the morning. One actually moved her son away from The Talker when I set him down to play. And one mom told me "You look a little scared", then she introduced herself and a couple of her friends. We made chit-chat about kids and the neighborhood.

The kids and I got in the habit of going up to the park at that same time each week. The moms that I knew made me feel OK about hanging out at the weekly hen party. When we were there I was usually chatting up the ladies that I met that first afternoon. It was a nice chance for the kids to play and for me to talk to other adults.

Flash forward to 2007. We are now out of the habit of going to the neighborhood park. Instead we tend to hit the YMCA , play at home or we hang with the Stay at Home Dad's group.

Monday afternoon was gorgeous. 75 degrees and not a cloud in the sky. Take that Pittsburgh. So we headed to the park. In our t-shirts, shorts and sandals. Take that Long Island. Anyways, it seems that most of the neighborhood had the same idea. There must have been 45 kids at the park.

When I saw all of the cars at the park, I slipped back to five years ago. I was hoping that The Talker and The Princes would just be able to find someone to play with. After all of these years we were breaking into the secret mom's group again.

I looked up the hill and saw the same four ladies that I always hung out with. They were still chatting about the kids and the neighborhood. And the mom who had welcomed me almost 5 years did it once again. "You know, you still look a little scared." After that it was a very nice time. For The Talker, The Princess and the daddy.

9 comments:

Ginger said...

Yes, but are you still scared?

Mike said...

Most days, Yes. A little.

Except when I am around your husband, then, Yes. A lot.

LID said...

I'm scared to death every minute of every day... I just never let'em see me sweat! 75 degrees... nice... a balmy 25 as I'm writing this!

Working Gal said...

It was 80 in Phoenix yesterday...and today AtHomeHubby hit the park - this time he braved it with the kids and the dogs. He also hates getting the "child molestor glare" from women at the park, as in

"you are a man, and you are not at work, and hanging around small kids - must be dangerous"

That and, "oh, is it Mommy's day off today?" comments at the grocery store really burn him!

Mike said...

Working gal -

I want to respond to the question, "Mommy's day off?" with something like "No, she's dancing all day at the strip club. But her boss said the kids can't be up there more than 4 times a week."

But I usually just give the old "Yeah, something like that..."

Mike said...

LID,

That is always a good rule to follow.

25? Dude it got so hot today that the kids have shed all but the bare neccessities. Right now they are on the playscape in their underwear and not much else besides some costume jelwery.

Hope they are watching for splinters. And thank godness for privacy fences!

Angel said...

*shiver* 10 degrees and snowing...brrrr. Are there houses for sale in your neighborhood? *giggle*

I need a mommy and me group!!!! I need to get out of this friggin house! Oh wait, I got a job. Yeah, that's the ticket. LOL *sigh*

Well good for you and for the mom's who made you feel welcome. I'd like to think I'd do the same. Someday maybe I'll meet a SAHD, that would be cool. They are not found around here that I have seen yet....yet.

And to the weather? I'm going to be in Destin Florida in April, I cling to that!!

Angel said...

I just read what working gal wrote. I have to say THAT IS TERRIBLE that her hubby and you other SAHD's get that crap from ladies! Terrible!

People are jerks. I double applaud the women who were nice to you. Yeah for them! And yeah for you for being a SAHD!!! I think it's fantastic!d

Terry said...

The only time Rick scares me is when I finish off the Margaritas without telling him.. When he goes back for more, I tremble in fear!!!!