Well, I had the most lovely baby shower this weekend! Saturday night, hosted by Chrislana, Deirdre and Marsha at Marsha's house in Deep Cove I got to gather with my wonderful group of friends and celebrate my journey towards motherhood. It was wonderful on so many levels - to sit down with the interesting and diverse group of fabulous women, all of whom are mothers and just share stories and advice, laughter and food - it was amazing.
We had lots of appys, yummy cheeses and crackers as we sipped our cocktails (and mocktails) and laughed over each other's baby photos (or in Marsha's case, 14 year-old photos). We then sat down and ate a great dinner of lasagna, chicken wings, fresh salad and garlic bread and we laughed about the funny stories that accompany birth and nursing and parenthood. Kate, who has been to Mother Blessings before guided us through the two rituals that I had requested, one of which was the beads I asked everyone to get for my talisman necklace for labour. I had asked everyone to bring a bead for me, for ez and for baby and it was so wonderful to hear everyone's stories about why they picked the beads. It was great for me to sit with them afterwards and revisit what everyone had said about them and I know that the love with which they were given will be powerful guides for me throughout. We also did a small ceremony whereby I wrapped a piece of cord, in this case red suede, around each woman's wrists and bound the whole group together before cutting them and having each woman tie the little red bracelets around their wrists where they will remain as a reminder up until the baby comes. Supposedly the custom says that they begin to fall off at the same time as the mother is getting ready to labour and they are a nice way to call to mind the expectant mom as we go through our lives. For me it has been lovely to look down and see mine on my wrists and think not only of that lovely night with my friends but also to think that they are wearing theirs in solidarity with me - I love it. And of course, there were presents - and lots of them!!
So many wonderful, thoughtful and generous gifts from our friends, it was like Christmas for me opening everything! Marsha had made a game of a group of 15 baby items on a table which once uncovered we were supposed to recall as many as possible - although the real winner was me as I got to keep everything! Diaper balms, sunscreen, burp cloths, face cloths, socks - you name it, so a lovely little grab bag of necessities there. Marsha also gave me a gift certificate for the Mommy & Baby yoga class at YogaPod which I was thrilled with - I love going to yoga there for my prenatal yoga, it has been the highlight of my week and so I am so happy that I will be able to bring baby there too to enjoy yoga with me - yay!
From Chrislana and the Gregorys we got a gift certificate to Boomers and Echoes and together with money my mom sent me I will be able to buy the Ergo Baby carrier that I had on my wish list - it's the one everyone says is the best and most comfortable so I am really happy about that too. Wendy, my fellow book-nerd (hey, it's a compliment!) gave us, of course - books - lovely board books with many tactile pages - Goodnight Moon, Pat the Bunny and the Hungry Caterpillar - for my little book club baby. Deb brought me the diaper bag from Kecci that I had seen and loved and it was filled up with lots of treats - Munchkins bum bum balm etc., some great little onesies ('I do all my own stunts') and gorgeous little brown polka dot facecloths with the softest lining - I don't want to use them! Deirdre got me another diaper bag in beautiful black and red chinois (do these girls know me or what?) that I can use for smaller trips and it too was filled with lots of diaper goodies, including a pack of the teensiest little newborn diapers that we will need for the first weeks until we get the cloth diapers we intend to use. Kate, in addition to the myriad other things she has passed along to us already gave us some soft yellow swaddlers and a tiny organic cotton kimono that is so sweet. Pierce, her 2 year-old son also picked out the funkiest little toy rattle for baby, some hanging rings and a soother that closes up when dropped. And Tracy gave us a bag brimming with lovely shi-shi baby diaper goods like organic bum balms and bath products, a sitz bath that I had looked all over for, the breast pads she likes best, so soft and smooth - a whole kits of things for a new mommy who doesn't know what to use. Everything everyone gave was so thoughtful and generous and between that and the beads and the whole party I was awake in the middle of the night just thinking about it all and standing in the baby's room just looking at the bounty of goods we'd been given. I felt surrounded by love and support from all my friends and of course, from the family and friends who could not be there but sent their love just the same.
I thought I would be overwhelmed by it all, but I really just felt a wash of confidence and love and security in the knowledge that this fine group of women would be here to be, as Tracy put it in her card - our 'village' - which is all we could ask for or need as we await this momentous time in our lives - now 34 days and counting!! What a lucky baby indeed!
No comments:
Post a Comment