Shout Outs

While sitting in the ever pleasant OB's office, I actually had time to sit and read a magazine article titled 6 Friends Every Mom Needs in August 2009's Parenting Magazine, one of the few parenting themed magazines I do not get in the mail. :


I immediately started thinking- do i have these? Who are they? Well, after some thought here you go! (oh, and pardon any lowercase "i's" you might come across, I have a sticky shift button and limited editing time).

The Mom in the Same Boat- This award goes out to my "BFF", of course- Tara. She's a mom of 3... and her two youngest are the same ages (one three months difference, one 6 days difference) as my boys. So, needless to say even from a distance we can not only usually finish my sentences, but they end in a unison "I KNOW!!" Some of this just comes from our 20 years of friendship (holy crap! we're getting old!), but seriously whether it's through texting, email, or talking... without her and what we share as moms and friends my life would not be the same! Honorable mention here, Nicole. She's a fantastic mom, one of the best listeners I know, and one of those people who as time flies by is now shifting into an old friend... I like that.
The No-Kids Pal I distinctly remember praying to the Lord when I was starting my job at Niagara Street School last year. I remember asking "please Lord, give me one friend in my boat. One who understands...etc, etc.". I guess I envisioned a 20- something mom chasing little ones at home, fighting the guilt complex and full time working mom exhaustion. Little did I know that God had Amanda in mind- a newlywed with no kids and no plans for them at the moment. With this new found friendship comes adult conversations that don't come round robin to whose kid poops more or who was up during the night. She has a cool car not jammed with car seats and kid junk, and I get invitations to massages and cool conferences out of town rather than play dates at Chuck-E-Cheese. But, more than anything she's a good friend who helps me connect on a level that does not involve the kids! P.S.- don't get my wrong, she loves my kids ( I mean c'mon... they are charmers), and I love Chuck-E-Cheese.
The Been-There, Done-That Mom- Amy, whose youngest is older than my oldest. She and her hubby Eric, are parents of 3 boys. They have been married over 10 years, and their two oldest are entering their pre-teen years. Often, when talking to Amy, I feel like she and Eric are like me and Paul, just 6 or 7 years ahead. When talking about my little ones, Amy will often empathize, remember, and relate to those toddler dilemmas I face daily. She also gives some pretty good previews on what to look forward to! Although we don't always get a chance to hang out, I always LOVE our conversations!
The I'll-Do-Anything-For-You Buddy How does that expression go... "a son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter all her life"... Well, there you go. My mom takes the cake here. Need advice- ask mom, need a garage sale buddy- ask mom, need a sitter- ask mom, need taxes done- ask mom, need a great cup of coffee- mom again...and the list could go on and on... My mom loves my family like no one else does. Her love for my boys is second only to ours... Plus, she's a great friend- trustworthy, objective, and truthful.
The Slightly Glam Girlfriend- Top honors here got to my girl, Jill. Blonde, fearless, funny (and my dog loves her and has been known to even try to bust in on her in the shower). Jill who moves around the country to cool places, works at well known companies, travels north and south, and is just plain cool. In fact, she's about to move again soon, somewhere cool for sure....maybe Buffalo? And, I think slightly glam suits Jill... anyone who knows her will laugh right now... she's half glam, half Sunday football waving a Terrible Towel doing chest bumps with her hubby Steve.
The Brutally Honest Pal- sister and pal go hand in hand once you're past those brutal teen years. I can always count on both my sisters, Sarah and Eileen to tell me anything from if there is a booger in my nose or if my muffin top is obvious... and even more significant things such as if I was a little harsh or missed the mark somewhere in my usually impeccable social skills (lol). I can also throw out an honorable mention to my dear hubby here... with him I will never have the opportunity to leave the house in anything unflattering. He always tells me. And, and long as he keeps telling me when he thinks I look nice too, it will be more than appreciated.