Dating again....

I've jokingly mentioned to my non-parent friends how meeting other moms is currently my form of dating. I'm kind of kidding but not really. Here's how it goes:
Mom Dating: I see another mom at the park.
Real dating: I see a hotty at a bar.
Mom Dating: She's got a kiddo around Piper's age.
Real Dating: No ring.
Mom dating: Her kids don't seem bratty, she's not screaming.
Real dating: He's not repulsively drunk and his friends are behaving.
Mom dating: She's around my age.
Real dating: He's not in diapers can't get an AARP discount.
Mom dating: She seems to take good care of herself and her kids.
Real dating: He's really hot.

The Move: I encourage Piper to play "over there". Casually we move closer and listen in on her talking to her child(ren) and decide if we should proceed. Fortunately (unlike with real dating) a conversation is easy to strike. You know you have one thing in common at least. The current topics of choice include potty training, daycare, and kid "equipment" (strollers, bike trainers, big girl beds etc).
Real dating (as I remember...) topics of choice: Drink of choice, lies about how much you really exercise and possibly a deep discussion on astrological signs.

You decide you have enough in common to get together again for a
(mom dating): play date.
(real dating): date date.

You exchange numbers. You go home. You wait. The phone rings. It's not her (him). 2 days go by. The phone rings again (possibly only the 2nd time in these 3 days). Apparently the 3 day rule stands with Mom dating too. It's HER (HIM)!!! You have a great continuation of your conversation and you begin to imagine a future together. Your kids becoming best friends, your husbands hanging out with the kids together while you two go for pedicures, having someone you can trust to call in case of emergency to watch your child for an hour.
(He gets along with your friends and your family approves. He takes you on romantic get-away weekends, all expenses paid. You get married and have kids so you can start Mom dating....)
It's all the same really.
The the first date.
MD: you clean the house Just in case she has to come in to use the bathroom.
RD: You clean the house hoping it's a good enough date to justify inviting him in afterwards.
MD: You scrub up your kid, put her in the cutest outfit you have without overdressing (it is a play date after all). Oh yeah, and you brush your teeth, pull your hair into a pony and wear something other than sweats (something fancy like jeans).
RD: You shave your legs (Priority numero uno), put product in your hair, wear makeup and buy a new outfit.
MD: You anxiously await her arrival.
RD: You anxiously await his arrival.
MD: You meet up, all goes as planned! The kids all behave and have a blast. You two laugh together like you've been friends for years. There's talk of getting the husbands together and future play dates. You make tentative plans for next week and have your kids hug each other goodbye.
RD: He is as hot as you remembered. He takes you to a great restaurant where they have to ask you to leave because you've been so wrapped up in conversation, you don't notice the place closing down. He walks you to your door where he gives you THE kiss. (I'll leave it at that....) As he's leaving he says "I'll call you tomorrow".

The next day. You're on a high. Your life is full of new possibilities. You get home. There are no messages.....
None the next day......
The day comes when you were supposed to have this play date (date). She (he) finally calls....and cancels. Her child is sick. (He has to "work".)

Fortunately, my life is so very full and satisfying right now, so I take this in stride. After all, I am a mom and know what it's like to live with the unpredictability of a child. And unlike with real dating, Mom's don't really need to lie. Moms understand when a kid gets sick, or even if another mom is just feeling worn out and needs a day to lie low. So different from the insecurity of single life and dating. But the excitement in the beginning is the same. Unlike with real dating, I'll give mom-friend another shot. After all, her son could be my daughter's future husband.....