Baby Brunch

Saturday brunch without the kids? Why yes, thank you...

Last weekend a gaggle of us from the playgroup gathered at La Flor for brunch in honor of Kristin and Patrick's baby boy Burns who's due to arrive in early May.  Our turnout was pretty decent considering how busy we all are with kids and schedules and weekend activities.  It's been nearly 5 years since this group formed in the fog of newborn mania, and over the years, many of us have taken the leap into pregnancy a second time. At least one brave friend has blown past us and is expecting #4 in the fall! But no matter how many we have, the bonds that began with our firstborns in 2008 have only grown.  We still make time to celebrate these important moments, and I consider myself very fortunate to have had this group of women in my life as I navigate motherhood in this city. 

We're all currently in the midst of the Kindergarten shuffle which has brought a whole new level of intrigue to our little group. With G&T options, charter school lotteries, and two different locally zoned public schools, there are many facets to this conversation--with many anxieties as well.  All of us want the best education for our children, but knowing what that looks like and where to find it is the question.  For the past few years, I've been dead set on Elisa getting into P.S. 150 for their Dual Language immersion program in Spanish. It seemed like a natural fit for our family.  But a few weeks ago we were notified that Elisa made it into the lottery at Academy of the City, a progressive charter school in LIC, and that has thrown us a curveball. It's definitely not my ideal school, but there are many positives about it's longer day with built in recess and rest time. Even if she's my big girl, Elisa is still not necessarily ready for the steady march of academia that I dread with a one-size-fits-all public school education.  And because of these staggered deadlines and assessments, we are faced with a choice that may not be a choice at all.  We will have to decide on the charter this week without knowing if we will have a spot in the Dual Language program which isn't determined until June.  

And while I drone on and on about all of this to Nacho (and anyone that will listen really), I know it's with this group of women that I find the most understanding. We might not all have the same views about education (or motherhood, for that matter), but we are in it together and there's something about that I find comforting. Afterwards, a few of us walked over to the park and hung out while the kids roamed from one birthday party to another crashing it as though they were drunken college kids.  The fact that they think of the park as their turf and all the parties are just waiting for their RSVP could prove interesting in the coming months and years.  But for now, it was fun to sit back and continue the chatting while the kids played and danced with abandon.  I'm not sure how many more baby brunches we will get to have, or how far away the next few years will take us. But I'm sure this group will still find time to meet no matter the reason.  We are friends. Our kids are friends. And no matter where we end up, I think Sunnyside and this playgroup will always call us back home.