Things I've decided to stop doing.

Making plans with people. I've heard some really good excuses in the past year when I've asked someone to hang out. My personal favourite is from back in February when I asked a friend if she wanted to get together for coffee sometime to tell me all about her super awesome vacation she just went on. (Side note - no one really cares that much about your vacation, it's just an excuse to hang out.) She told me she was busy until April then hung out with our mutual friend the next day. We still haven't set up that coffee date. That's my bad for dropping in the "sometime." Being vague makes it more awkward for people to shoot you down. I haven't had much luck with the actual set dates either, though.

The problem with being a mom is that it's hard to maintain those great friendships with your non-parent friends because you run on totally different schedules. I'm pretty flexible, but being 6 1/2 months pregnant means I have a sizable to-do list, an early bedtime, and can't be farther than 100 feet away from a toilet at any given time. (Side note: I just realized why my dirty base boards are causing me serious anxiety. I'm nesting. Thank God there's a legitimate excuse for my insanity.) I used to really like being the childless friends, because we could go to our friends' places and play games once their brood was in bed, stay up late, and drink beer. Now no one wants to come over. Maybe our house smells like diapers.

The mom friend struggle is real, too. There are always kids to take into account, and we don't have many babysitting options outside of regularly scheduled working hours. I am morally opposed to paying a stranger to snoop through my things while my child sleeps. I just can't do it.

Trying to understand why the only ad I ever see on YouTube is for All Bran chili. When I think chili, I definitely think about all the fiber that I need to add on top of those beans. I can't even imagine feeding something that filled with fiber to Parker. Oh, the horrors! I also don't think my taste in music is that antiquated.

Figuring out what to talk to my hairdresser about. I love him. He does magic things to my hair for a good price. We just have nothing in common. The only things I have to talk about are my kid(s) and maybe Westworld, but I don't think he has cable. And he's 21 and gay, so no kids at the moment. I almost asked if he was excited for Gilmore Girls but I didn't want to stereotype.

Mopping my kitchen floor. If we ever send Parker to boarding school this will change, but until then I'll just spot clean between meals. What is even the point? A good vinegar spritz and a hot cloth should be just as good as a quality steam clean. It's not like there won't be more unidentifiable food smeared on the tile in 15 minutes anyway.

Coveting my mother in law's needle collection. So much beautiful colourful wood. I need to ask her to leave them for me in the will.

Expecting good things from a Starbucks. One would think that allergies being as common as they are, baristas would know which basic syrups contain dairy and which don't. Also which toppings to avoid putting on a dairy-free drink. One would clearly be expecting far too much.

Complaining. Anna out.