So anyway we chit chatted for a moment then she went on her way and we finished our lunch. I was telling P that she seemed nice & that's the type of friends I'd really like to make around here. (Even though we've lived here 3 years I still feel like the new girl) He told me I should give her my number so we could be friends. That seemed a bit too forward to me so I settled on sharing my email and inviting her to a playdate. I scribbled down my email addy and went back & forth about whether or not I could actually walk up to a stranger & basically ASK HER OUT. I don't know if it was the dayquil or being stuck in the solitary sick house for the last week but I walked right up to her and said, "Hi, I hope this isn't weird but I just wanted to give you my info in case you wanted to meet up for a park playdate sometime?"
Let me say, I thought this intro line out well...I'd address that this was somewhat awkward to put everyone at ease, & also offer a park meeting so it wouldn't seem like to much too fast. I also added that, "you know, Sam is just getting to the age where she really wants to play so I'm trying to find her some little friends." Yes, I completely used my daughter as an excuse. I mean, it isn't a lie, she does need some more buddies but truthfully, I need some mommy friends.
She was actually really nice & seemed totally excited about the idea! Yay! She might like me too!
We talked a little more about what a pain it is that our girls are dropping their naps & what sides of town we live on & then I figured I should get out while the conversation was going well & said P & Sam were in the car & that I should get going. When I got back in the car I was telling P how it went and realized I was completely giddy! Seriously, it was like that rush you get when someone asks you out and you think of all the potential & get all excited...except that this was with a girl. For a playdate. My how life has changed!
Now I'm just wondering how long she'll wait to write, I hope I don't resort to chain-checking my email, that would be too desperate.
So was what I did weird? Have you ever asked a mommy you met out on a playdate??
I've never done it, but there have been several times after someone has left McDonald's or a playground, that I've thought I should have exchanged emails. I only lived in the area for 6 months when I got pregnant. So I hadn't made many childless friends and then was so busy learning how to be a mommy, I didn't have time to make mommy friends. I think you've given me the courage to do it next time in that situation.
ReplyDeleteI have done that before! And I've had other mommies "ask me out" too. Actually, my best friend "asked me out" after we sat on a new-mom research panel together, and we've been besties for 3 years now! :) Hope it works out, you'll have to keep us posted. :)
ReplyDeleteI have done this before and was so proud of myself afterwards! But it was girls from my church, but still a stranger because we'd never spoken before.
ReplyDeleteBut I remember being somewhere before talking to someone about our kids and I wrestled too with "asking them out" I never did :-( and was kicking myself afterwards.
Have fun.
I don't have any friends in my area that have kids and I long for a mommy friend to talk to about mom stuff. I've wanted to exchange numbers with the mom I talked to in line at the grocery store or the mom I saw on a stroller walk with her little one, but I always chicken out thinking that she would think I'm some kind of weirdo. But, now that I've heard about your experience I'm totally going to give it a try the next time. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteNot weird at all! I love having playdates for my little man! I think most moms get excited to have other mom friends since all your single/no kids friends seem to fall off the end of the earth once you have a child! Hopefully, she will write you soon. I would also suggest going to like a Read and Play at your local library for Sammy. There's a good chance you'll get to know some local moms and Sammy will make great friends as well! We started going when Weston was around 9 months and he loves it! He's now 16 months and we still take him and our new little 3 month old.
ReplyDeleteI think it is an absolutely wonderful idea. My sister has started using MeetUp.org and found a lot of mommy groups as well as other groups that she participates in...unfortunately in my area there aren't too many but you might find some groups to do things with in your area through the website.
ReplyDeletehehehe.
ReplyDeletetoo funny. i'm not a mom but i totally am in your same boat. i moved to a new town when i got married. it's my husbands home town but i knew NO ONE! and, at 22 it's not the easiest thing to meet other women your age - especially since you're not in college any more and you're married. so i had a lot of ackward conversations and now i have quite a few new friends. such a blessing. but i can totally relate to the RUSH too. I was the same way. i think my husband got a little rush too because he was excited that i could finally quit complaining about not having any friends :)
Mommy dating is hard! Why to have the courage that I usually don't!
ReplyDeleteI featured this post in my Sunday Funnies: http://tinyurl.com/yzrdjf7