Cocktail Hour

So I signed up to be the co-chair of the preschool parents committee. Go June Cleaver! It's been fun getting involved and finally getting to do stuff relating to Bambina's school. However, I failed to realize that I'm not in Kansas (or DC) anymore.

Last night was the parents Meet And Greet night. Just a one hour, come and meet the teachers and administrators thing. So I--as I imagine most moms do--ran in the house from being out, found some clean clothes, and threw on some khakis and a nice shirt and shoes. Back in DC, if I attended something child-related this is what most people would be wearing if they weren't coming directly from work and were therefore in some kind of business attire. Imagine my surprise to walk into this little classroom and see parents dressed for cocktail hour. I'm not kidding! Like, little black dresses, full makeup, full hair done, dressy purses. For a moment I thought a bunch of people had just come from a wedding. But alas--this is apparently how we dress for a one hour cheese reception at a preschool in my new town. Aw crap.

I got over it when--thank you god!--a couple of more "hippie" moms showed up wearing jeans and t-shirts, but you could tell they also were wondering what black-tie affair had exploded, leaving all these LBDs (little black dresses) littering a preschool classroom. For the rest of the night I was wondering how these women got ready--and I do mean READY--for a 7pm event. I was out of my house till 6:35 for Bambina's dinner, then was throwing my clothes on while singing with Bambina and showing my mom where her toothbrush was, while telling her that I'd come in and kiss her when I got home, while reminding myself to get her lunchbox out of the car, while... You get the picture. There was no blow-out on my schedule, and I can't figure out how it was on anyone else's, even (or should I say especially) a stay-at-home mom's.

The night was still fun. I chatted quite a bit with Bambina's teacher, whom I love fervently. I met some other parents, chatted with the school administrators. In short, I got everything out of the night and put everything into it I should have. Except, perhaps, for any cocktails...