How do you make friends?

How do you go about consciously making friends? I'm not sure I've ever consciously made the effort to make friends, it's just sort of happened and until now I haven't really thought about the mechanics of becoming someones friend.

At primary school, it was so much easier, you could just go up to a kid you liked the look of and say 'Will you be my friend?' They'd look you up and down and decide either yes or no and off you'd go on your merry way, undoubtedly holding hands with your new friend!

Real life, it seems isn't as easy as that. I've been going to some playgroups for a couple of months now and I know a few of the Mum's by sight. I tend to have a chat with a few of them during the course of the session, but that's as far as it goes really. And I'm not sure how to take it further?

Do I just wait it out and hope that something develops in time? 

There's a particular Mum who has 2 children similar age to mine and lives fairly close to me and is nice enough, but I don't know how to take it further. It seems too forward to just invite her round for coffee, but maybe I'll just have to take the plunge. I'm going to try encouraging my eldest to play with her eldest in the hope we can set up some play dates in the future maybe.

It's just so hard, there is another Mum who I have really taken a liking too as well and we've had the odd brief friendly conversation. Last week I was stood next to her as she was arranging a day out with another one of the Mum's this week, and I really wanted to shout out 'I want to come too, invite me, invite me!!' Obviously I didn't though, I just stood and smiled politely whilst they arranged their day of fun.

I just don't know how to take it to the next level now, maybe I just need time and let things happen naturally, but its hard when people say 'Oh have you got any friends yet?' 

A return...

I know, I know, i only managed a few posts before I fell to the wayside with the blog. I knew it would happen, but there you go. My excuse...I have plenty, my hubby has been away on business for 2 weeks, my parents have been down to stay, my Grandma died. All true and all have taken my time in some way or another. 

But enough of excuses, I am back and ready to keep this up again, more for my own sake than anything else. 

The news with us? This week marks 2 months living down here. I'm not sure if its because for the last 3 weeks, I've had either my Mum or Dad (or both) down here with me, or not, but I'm definitely starting to feel more at home. I still miss my friends desperately but I'm starting to feel as though I have a little routine going. 

I have one new friend down here who I arrange to see most weeks, and a few friendly faces at playgroups that I can chat to now. I just hope some of these friendships can transfer out of playgroup maybe.

In terms of the future, its just 3 short weeks until Christmas, my brother and sister in law who live in New York are coming over and we are having a big family Christmas down here. I am catering for 10 on Christmas Day!!!!! Our best friends are coming down at New Year and we have also booked a holiday in June to Devon with them. 

My girl turns 3 in January and even scarier, I turn 30 in February!

Life is OK at the moment, I am feeling positive!