Let’s Talk About Playdates!

Before becoming a mom 2 and a half years ago, I had no idea what a “Play Date” was. And if you’re not a mom (or dad for that matter), you may or may not know what a playdate is either! Basically, a playdate is when a few moms (or dads!) get together to chit chat and hang out, while their kids play together. Playdates vary in activity and time length. It just kind of depends on the age of the child, what the moms decide to do, etc, etc. For me, I have been extremely blessed in meeting fabulous women whom I meshed with well with, throughout the years of me traveling from city to city and living this sort of nomad lifestyle.
My first experience with a playdate was when I lived in in Philadelphia, PA, and I was lucky enough to meet a neighbor of mine who happened to have 2 young kids. At the time Zé was about 6 months old, and her kids were a bit older, but still at an age where they could interact and play together. We would do everything from take walks to the park together, hang out at each other’s lofts and have great conversation (with or without wine sometimes lol), or meet for a quick lunch with the kids in tow:

On our way to the park!

Playing at her house!

She loved Zé!

It was then that I realized that once you become a mom, you’re apart of a sisterhood for life of this
wonderful thing called motherhood. It’s like an unspoken bond that when you see another mom, you get her somehow! You know she’s had sleepless nights, days that were challenging, days where she was just so damn proud of a new milestone that her child hit, and that you have more in common than you could even imagine.

So what better way for moms to bond even more, than with a playdate! Again, I have had the luxury of meeting some amazing mothers, and am so happy to have had awesome playdates with both them
and their kids!

After living in Philadelphia, I then moved to Dallas, where I had the pleasure of meeting Billy Jo and her adorable girls. I was pregnant with Vito when we moved to Dallas, but Zé had just turned one, and Bill Jo’s girls were about 2 and a half, and 6 months.

At a lunch date at Californial Pizza Kitchen Billy Jo and her family had moved away for a bit, but then came back to Dallas almost a year later, so all the kids had a reunion, with the playdate being at my house. The kids played while we ordered a pizza, and the Billy Jo and I had some wine and caught up on each other’s lives:

All the kids and me watching something fabulous on the ipad and getting hugs!

Oh heyyy Ordene!

When Ze was about 17 months old

At Chuck-E-Cheese

Ashley with the kids!

Back in March when Ze was 2 and he was 3

Vito joined the party too!

This was right after my sister had her baby back in September 2013. We all went to the mall with the kids and had a playdate there. It was my sister’s first official playdate. (Mind you, an almost 2 month old can’t do much on a play date though lol.)

As you all know, I recently moved to Charlotte, where I was reunited with my good friend Christy, who had two kids as well. I first met Christy when I lived in Italy, as Christy’s husband and Chris were teammates on the Italian team. That was towards the end of 2011, right before Ze was born. 2 years later, we reunited in Charlotte! Her and I would have weekly playdates at her home, and as she had a fabulous playroom set up for her 6 year old daughter, and almost 2 year old son:

 

We visited an animal farm for Easter this day. Oh heyyy Christy!

 

The boys playing

Christy’s uncle made homemade wine, and it was so good!

Our weekly playdates oftentimes included wine, champagne, or even a cocktail. 🙂

I also had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Jessica, who is the wife of one of Chris’ teammates of the Charlotte Hornets. She has a son who is the same age as Vito, so we met up for a playdate as well!

 

 

With it being so hot, the last few current playdates have been spent poolside here in Dallas, with our most recent playdate being at Ordene’s:

 

 

 

Playdates have played a huge part of my life as a mom, and I’m just so happy that I have met great women that have made the time spent together so worthwhile! Our kids love playing together, and the moms enjoy each other as well. So for everyone involved, it’s a win. 🙂