Mommy Isolation

I saw a new mommy fumbling through the pacifiers at Target today. New baby asleep in the cart and a look of confusion mixed with the haze of sleep deprivation....Ah, memories. I walked these very hallowed aisles of Target searching through the baby goods once myself lost, confused and quite a bit lonely. Rows and rows of baby bottles, stacks and stacks of formula...Which one works? Which is the best? What is this gadget? Am I a fool to buy it? And will "somemommy" please be my friend? New mommyhood was much like first day of school anxiety, only it had sharper fangs. No one will be your playground buddy. No one wants to sit next to you at the lunch table and the teacher is absent. As a new mother, I watched the other experienced moms , carts full of a kid or two, going about their business full of confidence.
"Wanna play hopscotch with me? I'll let ya copy my homework." was not going to work on this playground. I contemplated causing a shopping cart fender bender. "Sorry. Didn't see ya. Can you sit down for a minute and tell me how you do this mommy thing. I need a one on one tutorial." Educated and professional, I had entered into this mommy thing a tad bit overconfident. Humbled quite quickly by colic, diapers and a couple of engorged boobs, I was eager to befreind a more experienced mom. My first attempts at friendship in the SAHM world began in the Baby Aisle in Target. Unfortunately, all my attempts were shot down. I mean, how does one go from "Cute baby. How old?" to " Can I have your number and address? I desparately need adult conversation."? My friends before mommyhood were all happy buzzing along at their careers, with little time for someone with a screaming bundle especially in the middle of the day. Yes, they brought presents, owwed and ahhed at the baby and then where did the conversation go? I knew quite quickly that I needed to find some new friends with whom I shared some common ground. My mommy stalking was getting nowhere. I had to take action. I enrolled in Baby Gymboree Class.