momburbia

Today I hosted my first ever play group. And despite my urban environs in the hip, yet family friendly enclave of Jamaica Plain, where you are just as likely to see a tattooed, pierced emo kid as an infant in a Bugaboo, I feel surprisingly suburban. Dave and I prepped all weekend for this pivotal event. He scurried around our floor babyproofing outlets and securing overflowing bookshelves to walls, while I vaccuumed Ari's room, changed his crib sheets and folded his laundry. And also I baked. My first instinct said zucchini bread; I have no idea why. It just seemed like a sensible thing to serve at 11 AM to a group of moms with infants.

The whole situation was really a conundrum. I am accustomed to entertaining- dinner parties, birthdays, brunches, et al, but the mom's playgroup was a whole new breed of hostessing. Do I offer drinks? Well, it is in the morning...so, bellinis and mimosas then? No, that doesn't seem right. What about the setting? Should I cram the coffee table in the corner and have us all sit around on the living room? But then the stain on the rug that was hidden by the table is exposed. Do we hang out in Ari's room? And what if Ari doesn't wake up from his nap in time? Should I break the coveted "don't wake a sleeping baby" rule or just let him miss the festivities?

All in all, everything was splendid. Folks arrived promptly at 11- none of this fashionably late business when babies are concerned. I had about 6 moms with babes in tow. Most were the same age as Ari. And Ari thankfully woke up exactly on time from his nap! He was a charming host, cooing and gurgling at his new friends and happily sharing his toys. The zucchini bread was less of a hit- several moms claimed their little ones had soy/wheat/dairy/zucchini intolerances which prevented them from partaking (you know, the whole breast feeding thing). So I wasn't offended. I just wish I didn't have an entire loaf of zucchini bread left to consume myself. Dave doesn't like the stuff, and Ari can't eat it yet.