I miss going out, and I don't. Let me explain. While I am a bit nostalgic for the freedom of Mark and I to decide to go out for Thai food at the drop of a hat, I do not really miss hanging out at the bar. Mark and I weren't exactly party animals, but we did like to go to the bar with friends fairly regularly. We'd have a few drinks, get a light buzz, chat with friends, and have a late night. I honestly feel "over it" in a way that I would never have anticipated. I miss friends, but not the locale. My ideal right now is to have friends drop over at our place for a few hours and drink a glass or two of wine - all while spending time with my son. My feeling is that our real friends, our closest friends, are just as interested in him as us. This isn't to say that I might not like to go out every once in a while and have a drink at the pub with friends, I just don't miss it being a regular part of my life. I am content having it be a special treat, a departure from the norm. This REALLY surprises me. When anticipating being parents I thought that sacrificing our nightlife would be one of the hardest parts. But now that I'm here, I'd rather be with loved ones - with my baby, with my husband, and with my friends who are excited to spend private time with us as a family. That said I have to admit that I am dying for a cheeseburger from the Standard Tap.
Yesterday was a perfect example of my ideal - we had lots of friends come to visit us and spend time with Master Noah too. Jen and Mark stopped by in the afternoon - and brought with them amazingly delicious cookies from a bakery in Rittenhouse. We ordered a pizza and caught up while Noah chilled out. As they were departing Noah's honorary Aunt Tracey came to visit. Tracey has visited us more than any other friend and it really touches me how interested she is in spending time with Noah. Then Mark's friend Tim came to visit from far away Hoboken. We all enjoyed watching Noah voraciously eat rice cereal and bananas, all the while smiling for the company and putting on a good floor show. Then Tim took Mark out for a couple of beers at Johnny Brenda's while Tracey and I talked and had a few drinks at the house. Noah was a perfect gentleman and prompt about meeting his 8pm bedtime - though I know Tracey would have loved for him to stay awake a little bit longer for extra cuddling time. It was a lovely evening - more lovely than just getting tipsy for the millionth time at the local watering hole. Who knew?
Of course I have to become a better host and have some snacks out on the table when people visit. I'm appalled at how badly I shirked my hosting duties. If you ever stop over - don't be shy about going into the pantry and fishing out some pretzels or something if you're hungry. Help yourself. Mi casa su casa. Just don't drink the breastmilk in the fridge - that stuff is like liquid gold.
When my parents were young, people had kids younger and all around the same time. So everyone was in the same boat. New parents all lived in the neighborhood they grew up in and just brought the little ones to each others homes. They got to socialize while the kids hung out and played together. Though I am certainly glad to have had so many life experiences prior to having children, part of me is nostalgic for that sort of setup. Happily since Patrice and Janette are both new mothers/mothers-to-be we can get together like that every once in awhile, it's just that they live so damn far away. I want them to move on our block.
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