Yesterday I dropped the $50/month upgrade membership to the super duper gym in favor of a $80/month membership for Gymboree. Flip Flop Girl had said Gymboree gives free classes and that it’s a good time to meet and talk to parents of other kids in Allie’s age range. I looked up our nearest baby gym, it’s about a 15-minute drive, I signed up for the free class immediately, and off I went yesterday. I didn’t make any new best friends, but people there were very nice. Allie was the youngest but not the smallest (by any stretch) in this category of 0-6 month babies. The interactive class was basically 45 minutes of singing and play with everyone seated with their babies in a circle, all designed to stimulate baby’s eye tracking and other motor skills. We put color props in our babies’ hands and on their bodies for tactile development, colorful transparent scarves over their faces to play peek-a-boo, we had them do a collective tummy time over a big mirror on the ground (Allie was the only one with what appears to be zero head-up skills, but that’s cuz she hates tummy time at home), bubbles were blown at them to get them to reach and touch, a giant colorful parachute was spun over their heads as they laid in a circle looking up, the babies were rolled over and bounced gently on the big exercise ball (i.e. birthing ball, i.e. core strengthening ball, depending on which context you’re in). The instructor and parents sung through the entire thing with songs that matched actions we were doing with the babies (yes, “Wheels on the Bus” was one). One parent to my right said that when her baby was 2 months, she couldn’t bring herself to come to a thing like this; the instructor also said Allie did really well for her young age and it being her first time as I guess most first-time babies get overstimulated and cry. Despite this class being at an awkward time for Allie (it’s usually during the time she should be napping, and ends right when she’s supposed to have her next meal so she’s hungry), she DID do really well. She smiled and cooed and looked around, watched the other babies, and tracked most thing I put over her.

I haven’t been to an adult gym since the 2nd trimester of my pregnancy, so it’s only right I swap something I’m not using for something that’s teaching me what I don’t know how to do (interact with age-appropriate education with Allie). Since it’s month-to-month membership with no cancellation penalty, it gives me something to do three days a week until I get back to work.

Mr. W suggests daily that I quit work forthwith. It’s too unsettling to consider at this point. I get the logic points, that most of my salary will go toward paying someone else to watch the baby, and who better but a parent to watch her own baby? But work is more than just an exchange of money for me. It’s social, I still feel a sense of obligation to my staff, and it has a huge thing to do with my sense of self-worth. I’ve been financially independent since very early on and I am loathe to give up that comfort. Plus, full-time childcare is temporary until Allie goes to school; quitting my job in this economy is permanent.