Mommy Mondays

If you have read Jack's blog for long, then you have heard me mention "Mommy Mondays". Since Jack was about 4 weeks old, we meet with 4 other babies Jack's age and their mommies (who are all first-time mommies as well). We were put together as a group in the hospital we delivered in and then we just started to meet on our own after the class ended. Jack is the oldest of the 5, but the youngest is only a week and a half younger than him. I LOVE getting together with the other mommies and babies. It is so wonderful to hear other mommies are going through the same things you are and that you are not the only one that goes completely crazy when your husband sets the dishes on top of the dishwasher (rather than to actually place them IN the dishwasher) or that you are not the only one that is convinced that you have somehow "missed" the developmental window of a certain skill and that because of this your child is destined to become a serial killer (see, this is why I need this group, these thoughts actually go through my head). Anyway, as I said, I really enjoy Mommy Mondays...Jack on the other hand has tried his hardest each week NOT to be invited back.

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It all started the first week. Jack started out happy and full of smiles, but by the end of the very first Monday, he won the award for the worst behaved. This is a legacy that Jack has continued each week. The last week that we met at the hospital, Jack hit an all-time low. It was so bad, I was convinced he was doing it so that he would never have to see any of these people again. Much to Jack's disappointment, the other Mommies overlooked Jack's behavior and still invited us to be part of their group. We have now been meeting (almost) every Monday for nine months. Jack started out as the baby that cried the most and has now turned into the toy-taker, the bully, the well-intentioned-yet-over-zealous-kisser, the food hoarder and also very rarely will even crack a smile. He also will "investigate" to what degree the other mommies have baby-proofed. He then will show them in what areas he feels they are lacking in that department. (He hasn't broken anything yet, but I am thinking we may have to dip into his college fund at some point to refund the other mommies.) It is amazing that the other mommies haven't "voted us off the island".

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I know you probably think I am exaggerating, but I am serious, once it was so bad that one of the mommies suggested that we all go outside so that Jack would calm down. I swear this kid doesn't want me to have any friends at all.

Here is the proof:

On this day, Jack and I were headed to his favorite store--Costco. We invited my friend Brie and her baby Ava along. Ava nicely waved to everyone we passed and would clap her hands with excitement. Jack acted like he had no spine and had some unknown chromosomal disease. He would lean out the side of the cart as if he was afraid that Ava was going to give him "cooties". The two did enjoy trying to take each other's pacifiers and they also were very excited that it was sample day at Costco.

Here is Jack at the ball-pit last Monday. He acted like I was torturing him (OK, I was having germ-o-phobe issues in it, but he is way too young to understand that). This picture was taken after about 15 minutes of him clinging to me, he finally let me set him in the balls. Can you see how much fun he is having? The other babies happily played with the balls and even laughed when the balls were tossed into the air.

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I hope that some day Jack will start to come out of his shell when he is around his friends, but until then I want the other Mommies to know that I am truly thankful that they tolerate us!