for playdates

Since I am not really a single mom, I usually don't have to worry about babysitters. I try to arrange the social life I have, along with the doc appts, work obligations, and yoga around when my daugther's father has her. This does not always work. Especially when he continues to take off on the weekends with no notice.
But I have friends. And one of them is a single mom, and I have had her son two evenings in the past few months. But I don't see this as a tit for tat. I mean, he is sweet, he plays with my daughter, it is like having a bigger family. So when I found out that her dad was gone again, it did not occur to me that I had someone to ask. And she is happy to come over with her son and play for an hour while I take my other friend out for her birthday.
And, one of them is not a single mom, she one of those moms I am jealous of, stay at home, nice house, two kids, involved dad. And she offered to take Izzie for awhile today to play with her daugther. And it gave me time to work some more, go to yoga, do a load of laundry. More importantly, to not feel guilty for not entertaining my sweet girl. She had so much fun she did not want to leave.
Having an only child the need for playdates is so so crucial to me.