Ode to play group

It's that time of year again; the time of year when I become a zombie.  Not because it's almost Halloween, but because it's fall.  For some reason I have the biological clock of a black bear.  If I could hibernate from October to February you better believe I would.  All the berries I can eat before hand?  I'm in.  I can already feel the laziness creeping in- a little too much TV here and an extra hour of computer games there for Isaac.  I develop an unhealthy dependence on carbs, coffee, youtube.com, and leave whole words out of sentences.  It goes without saying that I am less than June Cleaver in the mothering department during hibernation, but we survive it with a little help from our friends.  Cue youtube video:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i24mkN0ybZ8 
See what I mean?

I honestly think belonging to a good play group is the key to sanity when you're a stay at home parent.  Emphasis on good.  I'm not talking about a group of moms (or dads) eager to show off their Martha Stewart skills or Desperate Housewives wardrobe.  I'm talking about a group of women who parent similarly enough to you that you don't want to slap them, who silently encourage you to wear something other than sweatpants, but secretly love you all the more when you do wear them.  I'm talking about women who make the terrible twos bearable on the worst of weeks, and getting out for some exercise contagious.  Women who can keep a secret when you need them to, and who take joy in your accomplishments.  They are women that buy snacks your crazy diet kid can eat.  They are women that watch craigstlist for a used version of whatever expensive whim you have that week.  They will babysit in a pinch, and make you a meal when you magically acquire more children.  And for me, play group and pre-school are sometimes the only two things that get this black bear to leave her den and do something beneficial for her child in winter.  And for that, I'm grateful.