I went to a baby shower for one of my husband’s cousins today; she’ll be a first-time mama. It’s bittersweet to remember sitting in the seat of honor, big bellied with a tiny Gwendolyn growing inside of me, soon to make her appearance into the world.
Since the shower was right around the kiddos’ naptime, I left them at home with the hubs and went by myself. I was slightly apprehensive, since I hadn’t ever been to River Bend on my own (yes, the shower was at an athletic club, and I wondered if we were going to eat cake and then jump on the treadmills), and wouldn’t know many of the people there. My mother-in-law immediately inquired into Gwen’s absence, and even I regretted leaving her at home, since her presence creates a nice buffer. We talked for the majority of the time, stopping to get some food – the falaffel wrap was muy delicioso! I think they came from International Pockets, and I told Phil we had to go there for lunch. Soon. (EDIT: So it’s Pick Pockets Deli, not International Pockets; but Phil and I have been to the latter in the past and they do have good falafel. Phil also informed me that he prefers their wraps. *shrug*)
Then came time for the opening of the presents. It’s interesting to see what kinds of shower gifts are popular these days - the older generation can’t believe how far things have come, and those of us with young children alternate between you don’t really need that to cool, I wish they had those when I registered! The mama-t0-be even got a baby monitor that has a thermometer/night light on it!
It’s funny how everyone will think of giving the same thing… like, at my first shower, everyone gave me rattles… and no diapers! My cousin actually got a great mix of things, and almost everyone gave her some sort of bath item - wash cloths, hooded towels, bathrobes, you name it. I like to try and give something from the registry, along with an item or two I think will come in handy – especially something that will come in handy past the newborn stage, which flies so quickly. I picked the Inglesina Table Chair (I’ve always been curious about those feeding chairs, and even had one on my Amazon wish list for a while), and paired it with some Nuby bowls and spoons, a baby/toddler cookbook, and a knit baby bib.
So anyhoo… I’m sitting there, and some of the ladies mentioned how so many women are pregnant right now. It always happens in phases like that! I was thinking of Nichole, Becky, some family members who just had babies, other who wished they were pregnant. I’m not ready for another right now, but I definitely get wistful at the thought. Aside from the weight gain, nausea, and high-risk concern of my pregnancies, I loved growing my babies. I went through all my baby clothes recently, organizing them into bins for the basement, and just marveled at the tinyness of the things my kiddos once wore. Were they really that small?
My first-born is such a little diva right now; Phil and I joke that she’s three going on thirty. You’d never know it from this picture, but almost every day she has to wear a “princess” dress, and though she can be somewhat of a tomboy, lately she has been complaining about dirt. We have a dirt driveway, much of a dirt yard, and when we go outside she says “I don’t want to walk on the dirt.” Tough.
And my little man - I feel like he’ll be a baby in my mind longer than Gwen was, because we don’t have another on the way this time around. But I hold onto him so tightly, wanting him to stay that way forever. His clingy-ness can be annoying at times, but I might as well get it while I can. Watching them grow up is so bittersweet. Gwen often balks at hugs and kisses, shying away and wiping her cheek, but Josiah still barges into my arms for big hugs.
So I’m not ready for another one just yet. Not ready, but hopefully not done.
