This weekend my mom, sister, and sister-in-law travelled up to Chicago to throw me a baby shower -- monkey-themed no less, featuring monkey invitations, monkey place mats, and a custom made monkey cake. After a whirlwind of preparations on Friday and Saturday morning (and via phone among the three party planners for months before, on occasion in consultation with my husband), the shower was a huge success. We had a nice turnout, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. My sister-in-law, game hostess, orchestrated an MCAT (the Mommy Comprehensive Aptitude Test, I think), which involved matching children's shows and movies with their characters, and Monkey See, Monkey "Due," in which guests had to guess whether I hoped our offspring would bear certain of my traits or Wes's (he had also completed this activity, and we enjoyed a 61% compatibility rate. We usually disagreed in the areas where we hope our kids won't take after either of us, like dancing. We also each, gracefully, hoped that our son would have the intelligence of the other. My sister and sister-in-law argue that Wes only said this so he would get to keep sleeping in the bed.). For winners of these and the "baby" game (in which you can't say the word "baby" or you lose your clothespin), there were gift certicates to some of my favorite places around Chicago -- Barnes and Noble, Ethel's Chocolate Lounge, and Bin 36.Everyone enjoyed the menu prepared by the Cook (hah!) -- chicken salad stuffed in croissants, cucumber sandwiches, tomato-mozarella skewers drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and fruit salad, plus extra-moist cupcakes. We shared the 3D/4D ultrasound DVD (which features a nose on the baby that I'm not sure comes from either of us) in the middle, then devoted the end to opening presents. I feel ridiculous sitting and opening presents in front of people (as we did at our wedding), but I also know how much I enjoy watching people open presents I've given them. We received cute outfits, wonderful books, lots of ABC cards, and many warm blankets (several handmade by my industrious mother).
I didn't really have a wedding shower (though I did enjoy a lovely girls' night thanks to the efforts of my dear friend, who also flew up to Chicago for the baby shower), and I'm certainly satisfied I didn't. But I must say I loved my baby shower. I know the same fuss will not be made for subsequent children (should we be blessed with them), and I reveled in being made feel so special by women I know and care for. My sister collected pictures, snippets of the baby blog, and words of advice from our friends' to the baby (for having us as parents -- lots of grammar and cleanliness suggestions) in a scrapbook for us to keep, and that perhaps was the most wonderful.
It's strange to have that event over and done with because now the next marker on this journey is to actually have the baby. We're excited for it and ready for it -- mostly. It's just amazing to look at my calendar and realize the next big event is not a trip or visitors from out of town or an event -- but a birth. How amazing is that?
