How much fun can two people have? Part B

So, it started like this....

"Mom, I'm going to Boston the weekend before I go to Chicago for a baby shower at my awesome in-laws. Do you want to throw me a shower while I'm in Cincy?"


How can a Mom a say no to a lead in like that? Of course, being the great Mom that she is, she said, "Of course what a great idea!" In the back of her head she was thinking, "Doesn't this kid read our blog and know that our house is under construction with a dumpster and port-a-potty out front? There's no way we can entertain here."

Then I upped the ante, "Perfect, but can we do it on a weeknight because I still want to spend the weekend in Chicago with you and Am."

"Anything for you dear." I think I heard her mutter something under her breath about how I have no idea what's coming in three months!

With that, Mom enlisted Mary Jo as the hostess and a plans for a wonderful shower began.

The shower almost had to go on without me as I was delayed in Massachusetts a day due to eight inches of snow and arrived a couple of hours before the shower. Can you have a body double at a shower? Use a pillow for the noticeable "baby bump"?

Amber, Ann, Mom, Erin, Holly, and Mary

Erin, Holly, Kari, and Big Momma

I got to see a lot of friends I hadn't seen in a long long time, and we had a great time catching up. It was wonderful to see everyone!

Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of the hostess because she was busy hosting and I was busy being pampered. We had a sit-down dinner with chicken cacciatore and it was delicious. I was stuffed.

The theme of the shower was to bring a book to help Hubby and I get our library started. The books were so cute and I'm looking forward to reading them to the baby. I did not do a good job taking pics, I was too busy looking at gifts and smiling repeatedly for Mom and her camera.

For dessert we had wonderful chocolate cake from the Wyoming bakery...


I love the stork! Where else would babies come from? I would have felt bad about cutting into the cute design, but I know how yummy the cake is and it would be a shame not to eat it. Fortunately the leftovers went with Sarah, Deseree, and Anthony back to Columbus, so I wasn't tempted to eat cake for the next few days!

Mary Jo was incredibly gracious to host my shower at her house and she didn't even let us help with the dish clean up! I had a great night all around!

The next night in Cincy, Mom cooked up a storm and invited family over for a feast.

Taylor, Kevin, Amber, Mary, Samantha, Mom, Don, Liz, and Micheal

The meal was terrific and we all had so much fun talking and eating. It was great seeing Kevin and Mary in action with Taylor and Samantha, I might as well sleep from now until the baby comes to build the energy it takes to parent!

From last blog's poll reading a book came in on top for ways to entertain a baby, with playing with a toy as a close second. I'm sure I'll soon become an expert in all manners of entertaining a baby!

This blog, with March Madness in full swing, who is your pick for the national championship?

How much fun can two people have? Part I

How much fun can two people have, especially when one of them is still in the womb? In a word alot, in two words, a lot. Baby and I were spoiled last week with a bevy of baby showers and a trip to one of America's greatest cities (the greatest if you ask Am, but I lean more east). I'll give each event it's own blog, the least they deserve....

About a month ago Annie and Maggie (in-laws extraordinaire) offered to throw a baby shower for me and baby in Massachusetts. I eagerly accepted, not realizing at the time, it meant that the next several weeks I would have my baby registry checked and evaluated daily by Annie to make sure I listed everything we would need for our new arrival. I failed miserably (Do babies really need more than three onses? Apparently, a lot more. Now I know.). It took me a few tries, but eventually I got a passing score, or she gave up, I'm not sure!

Baby and I were welcomed to Mass on Friday and the spoiling started immediately with homemade chocolate covered pretzels waiting at the house.

Maggie showing off the goodies she and Annie put together!

Saturday brought the main event with a cake suitable for the day...


Totally cute and with a taste to match! The inside was chocolate and strawberry mousse, very very yummy. Maggie kept "forgetting" to give cake to the guests as they left, and I was pretty impressed with how much cake I ate over the weekend. Baby got her sugar high that's for sure!


Annie put together the most adorable decorations, a mix of onses, bibs, and blankets rolled up with a baby on top and a ribbon wrapped around.

The shower was amazing, friends and family arrived and we had a wonderful time catching up. It was great to see everyone.

Danielle, Paula, Maggie, and Robin

Jessica, Annie, me, and Little Merced

Little Merced, Mal, Roz, Louise, and Mercedes

Nikki and Lola

The gifts were absolutely fantastic, I can't believe how well dressed and outfitted this child will be. I'm going to have to get a new wardrobe just so I don't embarrass her when we go out! One of the best things about the shower was the seven (sorry if I missed one) mother-daughter pairs. It makes me so excited to think that I'm going to get to raise a little girl and get to do mother-daughter events together.

The shower was so much fun and it was wonderful to see so many friends and family. The party lasted well into the night and best of all, I managed to stay awake until the end!

We had a great weekend, even though a snowstorm delayed Annie and my departure by a day. The snow was an excellent excuse to spend the day vegging out and finish the cake and chocolate! I didn't want Maggie to have to throw anything out before she went back to healthy eating and the gym after a splurge weekend.

Last blog's poll was close to divided, several UFC fans (at least one more than Hubby and I). We think it is great to watch and hopefully it will gain in popularity. It is much much better than boxing, boxing looks slow motion compared to UFC.

This week, what is your favorite way to entertain a baby?