Mommy Group

We just came back from our first mommy group in Toronto (okay, this is our second time, but the first one I'd ever been to was last summer, and it was with a different group of people). I'm exhausted, and both the kids are fast asleep. It's almost 5:30pm.

I'm glad people invited me and the kiddies, but I was overwhelmed, so I don't know how little K handled it. T was fine, sitting in her car seat, trying out the exer-saucer, this bouncy exer-saucer jumper thing, and watching all the action.

There were about 18 little kids under the age of 5 in the house. I couldn't imagine that in our place in Taiwan. No, wait. I can. Kaeden's first birthday party was like that. It was loud :).

Dude didn't know what to do with himself. So many kids, so many toys. There were SO MANY TOYS. I'm overwhelmed at our place right now where we have this Rubbermaid under-the-bed storage box filled with toys. Turns out when other people say they have a lot of toys, they mean that it doesn't fit inside a box. 

At this house, there were toys in the dining room, the living room, the basement... cubbies full of toys, a kitchen set with two sets of cookware/foods, a dollhouse, a giant play house, a cardboard playhouse, a baby swing, two exer-saucers, a thing for babies to lie under and bat at, a bouncy seat, a bumbo chair, a tent filled with balls, assorted sit-upon vehicles, a golf set, two baby dolls with a stroller and a car seat and a giant indoor climbing structure. I thought people brought some of the toys with them, but it all belonged to the family whose house we were at. In the end, Dude had a blast, and thought they should all belong to him. 

We had lunch, then we had a little birthday party for two of the little boys there. So there were two cakes, along with a bunch of other desserts. I didn't realize there'd be a party, so I had brought healthy bran muffins made with no butter or oil, but applesauce. Ahh... I'm becoming that mother that brings the healthy snacks. :)

The party continued with a pinata, a Cars-shaped one, of course. The kids took turns batting at it. Maybe it's the Toronto kids, but I was expecting a fight over who got to hit it. But nope, the kids all lined up and waited their turns. Half of them weren't interested at all. Maybe daycare does work! 

The pinata finally broke, and the treats (healthy organic rice crackers and Gerber Made-for-toddler all fruit gummies) fell out. Several of the kids went for them, but most held back, politely waiting. To my surprise, there were still plenty of snacks left out when we went inside. 

Kids started melting down afterwards, and we left soon after with our own helium-blown balloon. I asked where the helium came from. Turns out you can buy your own portable helium machine at Wal-Mart. Oh, we are definitely back in the land of STUFF.