Playdate

I am incredibly lucky that several of the women in my life who started out as work colleagues have now become some of my closest friends.  Yes, I do work in an awesome place with equally awesome people!  Maureen is one of those wonderful women.  She has recently decided to take a new job as full-time mom to her daughter, Gretchen, and my maternity leave has meant that we have been able to get together frequently over the last few months.

Today Nathan, Natalie and I headed over to Maureen's house for a playdate.  Nathan and Gretchen are three months apart, and both blonde, blue-eyed and mischievous.  They have a lot of fun together.  Sometimes the fact that they are both used to being in charge of playtime causes some conflict, but for the most part they share really well and have a ton of fun running around like maniacs.  The great thing about them playing together is that while they are having fun, Maureen and I are able to carry on a conversation with about 10% of the interruptions that normally happen when conversing in a room that also contains a toddler.  Natalie's still pretty easy to entertain with snuggles and breastfeeding, neither of which interfere with the flow of conversation.

Even though it was chilly and grey today, we bundled the kids up and headed out to the backyard, where G and N were able to run and shriek and play on the swingset to their hearts' content.  After working up an appetite we headed inside for some PB&J and then the kids watched Clifford while Mo and I finished our lunch and conversation.

Everyone had fun, and then the kids both took really great naps once the party was over.  Needless to say, we're planning to make this a regular playdate for the duration of my leave!

Gretchen and Nathan dining at the kids' table.

N

G

This is how Natalie participated in the excitement. :)

Watching Clifford--about the only thing that kept these two still for more than a nanosecond.

They each found a Clifford to cuddle with.