Being a mom is isolating

I have decided that I need to be much more proactive in seeking out playgroups for Ollie and Mom groups for myself. I have wanted to join a group since Oliver was a few months old, but I guess I have always thought that the right one would just fall into my lap - not so much. Oliver is so very social when we are out; he loves seeing and "talking" to other kids. I feel like an awful mom for not nurturing that by getting him into a group.

There have been several problems with finding a playgroup for him - cost, group extremes and weirdos. We have been to Gymboree a few times, but cannot afford a membership, especially when he can play with the same stuff at home or at the park for free. Many groups that I have found seem to be extremely one sides parent groups under the guise of being playgroups for the kids. Things such as only eco-friendly groups, tattoo/piercing parent groups, vegan groups and breastfeeding groups. Not that any of these things are wrong, but the vibes that I got from their discussion boards was that they were going to try to push all their views on me while the kids were playing or look down on me for the way I am living or raising Ollie. And sometimes there are just plain weirdos out there. Everytime I venture onto Craigslist to find a meetup I can't help but think that there is someone out there just waiting to find some naive mom to lure to a playgroup then steal there kid. Then I think, "well that naive idiot isn't going to be me" and I give up. Why is it so hard to find normal people that just want to hang out?

No one ever told me that being a mom was going to be so isolating. I'm sure it's not that way for everyone, but it sure feels like it to me. I moved away from family and most of my friends almost 10 years ago. I made new friends in my new city, but they don't compare to my "forever friends". The problem with both sets of friends is that only one of them has a kid, so the rest just don't get it. The one that does have a son is 3 hours away, so it's not like we can easily get together for a playdate. One of my best friends here is due with her first baby this August, which is great! But she has a ton of family close by. I have this overwhelming feeling that once the baby comes we won't have the blissful, coffee filled playdates I have imagined, but rather she will be spending all her free time with said baby and family.

I guess this is just a pity party for me about how ridiculously hard it is to find normal moms.

A pic of the dude from this morning.