Friends, Family and Showers...

We had an amazing weekend!

Mom (Nana), JA, and cousin P came down for the weekend! We had a WONDERFUL weekend being silly and having a good visit. We talked over all kinds of baby feelings, baby advice, baby movements and such silliness. I felt like I was sooooo close to joining their "Mommy Club". They were asking so much about the pregnancy that I felt included in a whole new world - a secret world reserved for "those in the know".

We all went to dinner on Friday night at a very yummy Thai place and had a wonderful time - cousin P's friend Randy came with his girlfriend Sandra. Sandra speaks almost no English, so Randy translated for us. Then Bo "tried out" his Spanish, and did very well conversing with her. She seemed to appreciate talking with him directly. Then cousin P, Randy and Sandra, and JA went out dancing at a place called Johnny's Hideaway. They seem to have had a great time dancing the night away. I was really glad to see them get out as cousin P is recently divorced and hasn't been out on the town in a REALLY long while. She looked all pink-cheeked and happy when she came home. SO great!

On Saturday, my best girlfriends Miss S, Cc, and DD held a co-ed shower for us and the baby here at our house. They made it so wonderful and beautiful, we were just bowled over! Flowers and streamers and baby-themed things were everywhere! There was so much pink and blue that it looked like a nursery exploded in our downstairs! About 16-18 of our friends joined us, and we ate and talked and laughed all afternoon. The presents were piled so high, and people were so generous! We feel so blessed to have such good friends and such an amazing support network.

The funny thing is, I am always amazed when people give me presents. I never think of myself as a person that others are terribly supportive of. I have lots of friends, several very close ones, but I never really feel like I'm part of the "in crowd". Then a party of this kind happens (our Wedding for example) and I am bowled over by how many people seem to love and care for me. Everyone is genuinely happy for us and cannot wait until our little dream is safely in our arms. It amazes me anew...I guess in a way, I've created my own "crowd to be in".

In a way it is sad that at 34 I'm still insecure and feel those high school pressures to fit in. Then again, I am quite confident and sure that I'm "good enough" and deserve the good things in life, so I guess I'm satisfied that I've grown up a bit overall. I wonder, do those childhood insecurities ever really go away? I'm beginning to think they lessen, but never really go away...

I sacred Bo earlier this week, I told him I was going to get him during the shower, because he was going to have to announce what each present and its use. He is constantly befuddled by what all these "baby thingys" are. I ALMOST forgot about my promise, so mid-opening I asked Dad what one of the more unusual presents was. He looked at it for a moment, read the package, and said, "It's a Boppy!", which he thought would get him off the hook. Nah! "What do you use it for?" He beamed and said, "You bop the baby with it!", which drew loads of laughs from the guests. We really had a great time opening all the cute and cuddly and very practical things. It was such fun!

Later that night we made homemade pizza and just relaxed after a long day of baby showering. :) We sat around listening to music and swapping stories about babies with Miss S, her hubby R, their daughter Miss Em, and our visiting crew. We had a great time talking it up and watching Miss Em (who is 4 going on 16) do her "dance routine". She was so terribly cute, but some of the moves left her Dad ready to lock her up until she's 30. I think his discomfort was the funniest part of the evening! Bo was laughing at R until he was reminded that he MIGHT have a little girl of his own on the way. LOL - Priceless! It was a very nice time, indeed.

Well, turn out the lights before you leave... I'm going to bed... I seem to have developed a nasty cold. I'm coughing and hoarse and it's harder than ever to breathe - should be this way for at least a few days. Blech.

Don't forget to vote on the sidebar for the sex of the baby and when you think it'll be here!!!