January 21 is Play Date Day. Play dates are such a big part of Jude's week that it was easy to celebrate this day! Our play date today was with the C. Cousins, but instead of posting just about today, I wanted to take a minute to talk about the play dates we have during the week and their importance to us!
On Mondays, we do a lazy play date with Sophie. Sophie is 13 months and Jude is 8 months. They have been getting together since Sophie was 7 months old and Jude was 2 months old. Sophie's mom, Katie, has been a friend of mine since high school, and we just sit and chat while the babies play. It has been a lot of fun watching both of them grow up together. Play dates like this are important to us because Jude gets one on one time with a peer close in age. They have started learning what the concept of sharing is. The older they get, the more they interact and play with each other, and it's just adorable.
On Tuesdays, we do our weekly C. Cousin play date. This one varies whether it is done at Kelli's house, my house, or out of the house. The C. Cousins live only .4 miles from us, and their dad (Chris) and Jude's dad (Jay) are twins. The C. Cousins in age order are Linc (7 this week), Athena (4), Sean (2), Jacob (2), and Jude. Family is so important to me, and I love that Jude is able to be raised with his cousins. Being with slightly older children has been beneficial to Jude, and I believe it will continue to be. He gets the opportunity to see what older children do (walking, talking, playing) and be able to mimic them. They are all really close as well, so it's precious to see the love that they have with each other. Even Linc and Jude are able to sit and play with each other.
On Thursdays, we do our "baby friends" play date. This consists of Katie and Sophie, sometimes Kelli and the C. Cousins, and Krista and Charlotte. We have recently started hanging out with a new mom, and this play date is always open to any mom who wants to join. This is almost always out of the house. We frequent the Cincinnati Museum Center, Newport Aquarium, and the Cincinnati Zoo. We also have tried out play cafes and other play places. Most of the children in this play date are within 6 months of Jude, so he gets to spend a lot of time with other babies. This play date allows Jude to be able to spend time with children around his age in an unfamiliar environment. This group gets the opportunity to learn and play together in different places around the city together, and it's been great to watch them grow.
Play dates are not only important to Jude, but they also give me the opportunity to spend time with other moms. It's the support of these moms that helps shape who I am as a mom. Finding mom friends can be stressful, but there are apps like Peanut that allow you to meet likeminded moms. It's so important to find your tribe!
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