What a great day I had in the city!

I was going to my weekly therapy appointment and walking out of the subway station, what should I see standing in the middle of a workday in Midtown Manhattan? Four babywearing moms, conversing.

I had to go up to them and complement them. On closer inspection, the babies were all toddlers! One was nursing too! I was so happy to see mothers just like me, going about their daily lives, doing what I am doing too -- I have babyworn my 28-lb son since birth and continue to give him the benefits of breastfeeding beyond age one.

I chatted them up further -- they were members of the "Slings in the City" group and knew the founder Bianca too. They told me about an attachment parenting Yahoo group that shared my views on mandatory HPV vaccination (the opinions that got me banned from my neighborhood mommy Yahoo group). They totally reinforced my thinking that there are mothers who don't want to be milquetoast about important issues and conform to mainstream thinking, even if the establishment of moms says you have to talk about "poopy diapers," not politics. I felt vindicated.

I wish I took a picture of them. It was priceless.

After my appointment, I went to Maternity Works, an outlet store for the Motherhood maternity and nursing apparel line (plus some more upscale brands). I treated myself to a lace-trimmed gray cotton chemise with matching robe (I love-love lounging robes). It was designed for nursing, but I could definitely wear it after my child weans (it doesn't have odd peekaboo slits that give it away to be easy access to the nipple; it's very cute and comfy as well). The price was a little more than I would pay, but I consider it an investment in a little piece of personal luxury.

I chatted up the salespersons at Maternity Works too. They were two sweet, funny young women, one of which was a single mother of three. They also shared the importance of women, mothers especially, sometimes letting loose from their daily stresses and going out, having unadulterated fun without any shame. The childless girl told me about cool, casual bars in Greenwich Village (ones that I vaguely remember from my sheltered college days at NYU) where flats are more practical than heels. I like those kinds of unpretentious places, divey bars where bikers, beatniks and bankers can share the same counter. I've got to go out more!

This day will go down in the annals of this LushMommy's life. I smiled at the beginning of the day, saying "hi" to elderly ladies I passed in my neighborhood, who probably haven't heard that very often from a Gen X or Y-er. I smile contentedly as I wrap up this post, with my sweet baby boy lying on my lap, as I nurse him to sleep.