I really wasn’t looking cute this morning when I decided to go for a walk around my neighborhood. I hadn’t washed my hair since Thursday morning, and the only outfit I could muster up early were some old workout leggings and an adidas sweatshirt. But the weather was nice so I figured it was a good opportunity to move my tush. Plus I’m always trying to figure out ways to kill the time before my son’s first nap.
After walking for a good 40 minutes (aren’t you proud?) I was in desperate need of some caffeine. My son was in desperate need to get out of his stroller. Enter Starbucks, a stone’s throw from my house (aren’t I lucky?) where I go every Saturday and Sunday morning to get my chai latte sugar rush. (I keep wondering when my teeth are going to rot out of my head.) My local Starbucks is typically filled with kids at all times on all days. Saturday mornings, though, are like a Mommy and Me class on steroids, but with better music.
The perfect backdrop at my lame attempt to make a new mom friend. I usually don’t pay any attention to the madness at Starbucks. My mission is usually to get my tea and get out of there fast enough so my son doesn’t notice those little madeleine cookies that they put right next to the cash register close enough for any kid with halfway decent dexterity to grab and shove into his mouth so you have to buy them every time. Ok, maybe that’s just my kid.
But today I couldn’t help but notice a cute young woman in front of me in line. And she noticed me and my son, who was putting on quite a hello and goodbye show. I ordered my drink, paid and waited and waited for my tea. We then started up a conversation. We were standing pretty close as to hear each other better. I think she initiated it, but I can’t quite recall.
“Hi, how old is your son?”
“Oh, he’s about 13 months.”
“Oh, I’ve got an 8-month-old in the car.”
“Boy or girl?”
“Boy”
“Oh, cute. Name?”
“C.”
“C? I haven’t heard that before.” (Doh! Great line, Sara)
“Yeah, well, I guess this is what we have to look forward to in a few months.”
“Yes, it’s so fun. It goes by so fast.” (Could I get any more cliche??)
“How long have you lived in Roscoe Village? This is our first summer.
“Oh, it’ll be 2 years in July, so I guess this is our third!”
“Oh, nice.”
“Yeah. Hey, do you go to the park at Belmont and Damen?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it’s a great park, so maybe I’ll see you there.” (Was I supposed to ask for a number at this point?)
“Sounds good. My name is K.” (She tried to shake my hand but I was already holding a kid, madeline cookie and tea in my hands. Hello?)
“Sara. Nice to meet you. Have a good day.”
And then I remembered I hadn’t brushed my teeth yet. Shit.
 Tags: mom friends, Starbucks, new friends, mom rants
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i’m totally laughing because the same thing happens to me. it’s like making a “date” but you just don’t know how to after so many years, oh, and i don’t typically date women. well, i don’t date anyone for that matter since i’m married. i also put in my first “full” day at starbucks today. i’m spent. i’m trying not to load up on the chai tea lattes but it’s hard when you’re around them all day and they smell so good and oh how you want one…woops, sorry about the long comment.
happy saturday! =)
First of all, woo hoo on the 40 minute walk! I need to be exercising right now instead of surfing blogs.
Trying to make new mom friends is like dating but so much more awkward!
I love it. This has happened to me before. Only I was working on our yard and I looked like crud – hair in a pony tail, dirt on my pants from weeding, etc.- So wouldn’t you know that this would be the day that I would finally meet my neighbors.
They were out taking a walk with their newborn son and saw me in the yard and stopped to introduce themselves. I was horrified. All of our neighbors are in their 80′s, so finally meeting the one other younger couple on the block, well I would have liked to have been more presentable….