Today My Bestie (MB) and I took MLM and Super Bestie (SB) to the playground in my neighborhood – it’s this big sprawling town park with tennis courts, a baseball field, basketball court, and humongous playground (and a large lake, and gazeboes, etc. galore). She’s having SB’s 3rd birthday party there at the end of the month which should be So Much Fun (smf?).

But for today it was just some good old fashioned play ground fun and it was SMF to go there with one of my best friends – I’ve been there a few times with my husband and that’s fun obviously, but it’s been awhile since I’ve done a playdate with a friend of mine who was my friend BEFORE motherhood – so nice. I should do it more often now while I’ve got the chance before we all start moving away.

The weather was gorgeous – the air smelled of sunscreen and sand from the sandbox – I could practically taste the beach scent that has been looming in my mind like a whispering voice, that says, “you need to go to the beach, the weather is perfect, it will feel ah-mazing…” and oh I want to go – this trip to the playground made that all the more clear – three barefoot seconds in the sandbox had me craving beachy goodness even more than I already was.

The boys of course had a blast – MLM even found a few new things to do that he hadn’t thought to do before – mainly of the climbing, sliding and see sawing varieties. SB mastered some sandbox workmanship and did his usual bout with the jungle gym. We saw an adorable pair of twin brothers about MLM’s age if I had to guess which had MB and I discussing the pros and cons of having twins next – both of us agree we’d actually be totally okay with the idea now that we are so-called seasoned veterans of motherhood – not that we suspect it would be easy, but we both think we could handle it, and that’s always nice.

We both also REALLY want some cute pink bows and ribbons wearing daughters – you could say we are starved for the pink. Having boys is fun but they are oh so masculine in some ways – both the epitome of slime and snails and puppy dog tails, they will be their daddies’ delights in every way – and while we know we’ll be there having a blast, too, we both also crave the tea parties and princess costumes and well MB is a hair dresser so you know she’s craving french braids and all that jazz, too, as am I.

I know I will be one of those terribly traditional mothers who dresses her girls in pink and boys in blue and wants the trains and the dolls, but honestly, if they want to share with each other I won’t mind one bit – the point is I don’t want my children deprived of those essential memories just because they reek of gender – i want the to enjoy every opportunity they could want for – if my little girl wants to be a fishing hiking camping girl that’s fine – maybe MLM will grow up to love baking and shopping – that’s cool – I just want the variety, long for it in fact. And as if you couldn’t tell, I want another child, in general. I’m ready. Bring it on. Let’s goooooooo……….. Suffice it to say, we are trying, even if we tell you we aren’t, we oh so are.

Anyhoo, my ears tell me MLM finally fell asleep for his nap which is so like him, at five minutes of 4 in the afternoon – god forbid he do anything at a normal time, but then I guess that was never really our style anyway – out of order and early or late is our M.O. it would seem.