Annapolis Baby Shower

On March 3rd our (still nameless) little boy was celebrated again!  This time Annapolis friends helped prepare Matt and me for our future roommate.  It was the biggest blessing to look around the room and see around 20 faces that have become my friends through many different ways.  One of the best elements of the party was when everyone introduced themselves and how we met in the order of when we met.  Of course Mom went first, then Hillary and Meghan (both friends from TX currently living in DC.)  Everyone else I met through various activities at church over the past couple years.  And because of just that... the fact that I have not known those people for longer than two and a half years maximum (6 months for some) and they wanted to love on me and celebrate our unborn child is amazing. 

I've been loving the gray and yellow color combination, so my friends ran with it.  The invitation and party favors (a wrapped chocolate chip cookie) were adorable.

All the party details were such great surprises.  I LOVED IT!  We had an excellent salad bar that included chicken, candied pecans, asparagus, peppers, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, apples, blueberries, strawberries, mushrooms, various cheeses, rolls and the best homemade salad dressings I have ever tasted!

Lovely lemons and yellow accents were beautifully tucked around the house.

 
We drank lemonade and water from Mason jars with fun yellow striped straws.

For dessert there were homemade cupcakes, lemon bars, delicate tasty vanilla things and our chocolate chip cookie party favors.

Party ain't over till the fat lady eats.  34 weeks preggo.  

Mom's "pre-baby visit" coordinated with the shower date.  So glad she was able to be there to visit with old friends and meet new ones.  There was another perfectly behaved three month old baby boy at this party too!  Beren was a trooper as he was passed around from lap to lap for snuggles.  

Towels, onesies, diapers OH MY!  This boy was given such a generous loot!  We are much more well equipped now than had we had to do it on our own.

This little "Matt look-alike" khaki pants outfit inspired the telling of this story, when friends dressed up as us for Halloween :)

Thanks to Jenn, Meredith, Julie, Allison and Lisa for a more-perfect-than-I-could-have-imagined baby shower!  Thank you forever to everyone who has and is continuing to help Matt and me gear up for parenthood!

Aiken Baby Shower

Baby Boy Robinson (aka BooBoo) was joyfully & generously celebrated by many of his Aiken fans in February.  Judy, Betty and Kathy threw a marvelous shower!  I am in awe of how this baby, whom none of us have yet met, can be loved and cared about already.  Thank you endlessly to all of you who have helped prepare us thus far through gifts, prayer and kind words of wisdom and encouragement.

30 weeks pregnant and happy to be standing near a table of food! 

Sweet decorations on the punch table.  There was also a slideshow going of Matt's and my baby pictures.

It was a lot of fun having Angela and Heather there to cut-up with :)

Our taste buds were indulged with a very southern refreshment table full of the most colorful fruit salad I have ever seen, little ham & poppy seed sandwiches, open faced cucumber sandwiches, chicken salad pastry cups, nuts, a cheese ball and hands down the BEST glace petits fours I have ever had!  All centered around gorgeous blue hydrangeas, my favorite flower.

Baby Lane willingly allowed Peg and the rest of us to get some baby boy snuggles in a little early.

Our son received many fantastic goodies.  If the size is right, I would love for him to leave the hospital in this footed newborn outfit.  Sometimes it looks so large (how could something that big be inside me?!?) and sometimes it looks so small (how can life start off that little?!?)

It wasn't all about the baby and me.  Matt's needs were remembered as well.  This hilarious homemade Daddy Doody Kit included clean baby clothes, adult Tylenol, rubber gloves, a face mask, hand sanitizer and tongs to dispose of soiled diapers.  Funny!

Our thoughtful and generous hostesses along with the most creative diaper cake I have ever seen.  Thank you EVERYONE from the bottom of my uterus heart :o)

"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom." ~Author Unknown~

36 Weeks Pregnant

After a full morning, I'm enjoying an easy baby makin' afternoon on the couch.  I can feel him wriggling and jiggling and can see him poking and prodding under my skin.  Looking up and through the nursery doorway from my nest I see onesies hanging on the doorknob.  So grateful for this peaceful time of anticipation. 

Pregnancy has been good.  Real good.  So good that, knowing their story could be the complete opposite, I sometimes feel insensitive truthfully answering others when asked with pity, "how are you doing?" I really am okay.  I can gripe plenty (I think my wedding rings are officially stuck on my finger, my hips are sore as sore can be, I overheat at the thought of 68 degrees, I am pummeled from the inside out hourly, I can not get off our couch without rolling, etc, etc, etc.) but it all comes with the territory.  I'm grateful doctors call me a boring patient.  This morning's weekly check-up went well.  My belly is measuring right on track at 36 weeks and he appears to be head down.  Three cheers for the home stretch!

(SIDE NOTE: Just went outside barefoot to fetch the mail where I found no bills, only a box of free formula samples, then noticed a baby gift from a friend by the door and saw that our dogwood is blooming and azaleas are budding!  Best mail check ever!)

Six Years Later

"I'm excited about our seventh!"  Sincere words I heard my husband say as he left for work this morning.

Today marks the first of our seventh year as Manna.  Our sixth wedding anniversary was yesterday and there have been no days too many.  We've come a long way from when shoe insoles put supper on the table and though we don't smooch in the park anymore as often, life with each other is beyond good.  Our hearts are full... and so is my uterus :)

Our new roommate should be joining Manna's World the middle of next month.  April 14th is baby boy's official due date.  We are in awe of him already and so pleased to have the opportunity to go through this together.  I hope our future reflects all the good of our past and that our son can't help but know love and endurance as we celebrate marriage for decades more...