We haven’t had baby showers so much as a torrential downpour. The outpouring of love and gifts for us and this little one have been overwhelming. My mom commented that the nursery looks like Babies R Us North. Thank you all.

The first major event was the family and family friends baby shower, which was hosted at Frog Hollow, my GREAT Uncle Frank’s house. The house and land are beautiful, almost exclusively due to the work Frank and my late GREAT Aunt Molly did on it. It was also where Eileen had her baby shower for John, and where I had my family bridal shower. So it’s a bit of a tradition. Frank is so gracious.

Aunt Peggy hosted the shower, with a lot of help from my mom and Eileen. Margaret made a delicious Spanish omelette.  Martha made a diaper cake and ducky name tags for everyone.

Everyone brought their favorite children’s book, and now the baby’s bookshelf has old favorites from our childhood, as well as great books we’d never seen before.  Gram (John’s maternal grandmother) even gave us her childhood copy of Aesop’s Fables.  What a wonderful way to welcome a child!

The food was fantastic and beautiful, decorations abounded, and people from different parts of our life were there.  Max, my brother, even stopped by.  John and my dad perched to watch the proceedings. Once, he was even permitted to open a gift, but he had to wear a feminine hat.   Leanne, my cousin, brought her son, Josh, who we were delighted to finally meet (John and I had tried three times, to be foiled by huge snow storms twice and the norovirus the third time).  Family and friends who couldn’t make it sent gifts and regards from California, South Dakota, Ohio, and North Carolina.

We were delighted at the outpouring of love for our daughter, and are very thankful for all of you.