Mom's group, retail therapy, and Cailey

I've had a very busy week. We went to the playground on Monday and then walked around the mall for awhile. On Tuesday I joined a new mom's group and took Ben to a playgroup at an indoor playground. It was fun for Ben and I enjoyed the company of other moms. I have been really resistant to the idea of a playgroup ~ it just seems like so much work and so contrived to get together with people you really don't know and then talk about kids the whole time...has anyone seen Little Children with Kate Winslet?...that's how I envision myself at playgroups...not really a "team player" with the other moms and not as rigid in my parenting style...so I find I don't have a lot in common. But (sigh), I need to get Ben some social time with kids his own age and I am getting tired of spending time at the playground all by myself. I guess I am still trying to adjust to being a SAHM :o) Anyway, I like the mom's group I joined. They do a lot of activities and there are about 30-40 members...but, not all show up for all the events so I will get to meet a lot of new moms each time. I am going with an open mind and hoping to meet some new people with similar interests and, of course, some new friends for Ben.

I also tried a little "retail therapy." I went to the mall on Sunday, by myself!, and spent an unreasonable amount of money ~ I won't even say how much I spent because it's the most money I have ever spent on clothes! I have no intention of keeping most of the things I purchased. It was just nice to wander the mall and spend some money on myself. I never imagined that retail therapy worked ~ but it does and I felt much better after I got a chance to spend a little money (or a lot of money!)...even though I already returned or will return most of the items...I still felt a little surge of renewed self from my little outing! AMAZING! I have even decided that walking the mall is a great way to spend the mornings with Ben and great exercise for me. We spent Monday and Thursday at the mall and had a great time! We like to stop at the pet store and play with the puppies and the bunnies. So much fun to see Ben get excited over the animals!

Cailey is getting older ~ obviously :o). But last night I got yet another affirmation of this fact. My all time favorite children's book is The Monster at the End of This Book (a Grover Sesame Street book), and I have read it to Cailey several times since she was a baby. Now, each night we have Cailey choose a book to read to us so she can practice her reading. Last night she chose The Monster at the End of This Book and read the whole thing through without any help! As she read I kept having visions of her as a baby, sitting in my lap as I read the book to her ~ she would giggle when we made funny voices or we exaggerated any of the words/phrases. Now, here she is reading me the story and I couldn't help but feel very proud, old (ha), and very good about this point in our lives. I have loved every stage and every milestone that Cailey has reached thus far and I am very excited to see what her future holds for her.

Happy Friday and have a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!!!!