Shower the Love

So last weekend in Winston, we attended the best baby shower ever in the history of the world. Coincidentally, it was ours. :)

Unfortunately, unless you were there, you just can't fathom the level of awesome achieved by the hard work and creativity of Ansley's soon-to-be aunts and uncles. But maybe pictures will help. 

(No, really: we didn't plan that. We're just ... matchy. In general ;)

 "The six." As the boys like to point out, we have 

about 65 pictures in this same general configuration. 

Maybe they'd care to give us some 

"surprised face; hand gesture" posing lessons...

 Mama holding mama holding mamatini. Mmmm.

Bumping bellies with my bro (Uncle B)

Playing "don't break the water[balloon]" - coolest shower game of all time

(No, I'm not in labor. 

Just pelted my mom and Adam with a rogue water balloon. 

Maybe not so cool for them. 

Sorry!! That's my bad.)

Hey! Now that I see this hug, I'm a little suspicious that they may have been trying to squeeze Ansley out!!

My beautiful girls (and Jake!)

 The crew

And speaking of my peeps:

I just wanted to write you all a quick note to let you know how much Saturday night meant to me (and Jon ;) We had the best time surrounded by our favorite people in the world. I thoroughly enjoyed basking in the glow of such supportive and excited friends and family, and I'm not sure I've ever felt so loved and attended to. The food was awesome... the drinks were wonderful... the decorations were perfect... the games were so much fun. I don't know how you thought of everything and then went above and beyond to make it even more special. You are just amazing to have put together such an incredible night. I'm pretty sure if any of you decided to take on another career, it could be catering. Amongst the cheesecake bites, cupcake rattles, fruit "carriage," mini foods and specialty drinks, I can't pick a favorite. I could have drank 8 pina coladas and mamatinis - it's probably good I stopped at 2 of each(!). And I think I may start eating my burgers on Hawaiian buns because the size and sweetness just somehow made it better. I can't believe you did all of that for us, and I'm so thankful that I have such thoughtful and extraordinary friends. I am still in shock and awe of your generosity. And not only did you organize every last detail, but you took the time to be there (some of you from quite a distance and at quite an inconvenient time) and then gave even more.

I am going to try my best to let Ansley know how lucky and blessed she is to have this family of friends in her life (though I don't know how I'll do you justice!). Hopefully it'll be enough for now to tell you that I know how fortunate I am. I can't even convey how much I cherish your friendship. You make everything better when you're there. Life would be so much less without you in it, and I would be so much less without you. You are simply awesome. Stopping crying at my computer now... I love you all so flipping much!!

(Since this blog probably won't go public for a while, I'm sending that thanks via Facebook, too).

And I Quote

{pufferfish sans water: week 34} 

Some of my favorite baby quotes—just thought I'd share:  

"Making the decision to have a child--It's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." - Elizabeth Stone 

"I don't know why they say "you have a baby." The baby has you." - Gallagher

"Parenthood: The state of being better chaperoned than you were before marriage." - Marcelene Cox

"Raising kids is part joy and part guerilla warfare." - Ed Asner 

"If your baby's "beautiful and perfect, never cries or fusses, sleeps on schedule and burps on demand, an angel all the time," you're the grandma." - Theresa Bloomingdale

"People who say they sleep like babies usually don't have them." - Leo J. Burke 

"Human beings are the only creatures on Earth that allow their children to come back home." - Bill Cosby 

"There are only two things a child will share willingly - communicable diseases and his mother's age." - Dr. Benjamin Spock 

"Diaper backward spells repaid. Think about it." - Marshall McLuhan

"A father is someone who carries pictures where his money used to be." - Anon 

"The hardest job facing kids today is learning good manners without seeing any." - Fred Astaire

“The thing that impresses me most about America is the way parents obey their children.” - King Edward VIII  

"Parenthood: trading joy for sleep since [2009]" - Anon