If you don't have family or friends nearby with similar age children. How do you make mom or dad friends?

Struggling with this and am thinking once we're at the new house and (ahem) I drive I *might* join a mommy group locally. And hit up a Gymboree class and some local library reading hours, etc.

But I'm really shy when I don't know people so I don't know how I will open up! OR get over the fear that they might be mass murderers. There's that too.

But seriously it's not as much for me as LO. I want her to have play dates!