Baby Shower

Let me start out by saying how lots of people have asked us if we've decided on a baby name...and if we are sharing it.


Well, we are!  See if you can figure it out from this picture...

It's Charles.


And little Charlie already has lots of people who love him.  :o)

My super sister, along with cousins Sarah and Rachel, and BFFs Lanier and Kate threw us a wonderful baby shower the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It was at my Aunt Carole and Uncle Robert's house. Their house always looks so nice, but it looked especially great decorated with cherished books from when my cousins were little.

And of course the yummy food didn't hurt, including mini cupcakes from Gigi's (thanks to cousins Julie and Jan!) and my favorite, pecan shortbread squares made by my baker friend Claire (check out her sweet shop, Dozen).

Lanier, Me, Kate:

Me, Lanier, E:

Aunt Annie right as she arrived (you remember her from the tea, right?):

Cousins Jennifer and Brandi:



Mom with Aunt Joann

Cousins Paula, Jenny, and Rachel:

 

My HS friend Nathalie:

Rachel and Jan:

Aunt Carole, Mom, Me, Aunt Jo:

Cousins Monica Ann (my birthday buddy, we share June 27th) and Kristin.  They were at the name tag/book signing station.  There were 3 books on display for people to write notes in the front cover to us and/or Charlie.  Make Way for Ducklings, Goodnight Moon, and Where the Wild Things Are.  I loved reading through those later that night!

And my NYC friend Molly who's currently in her first year at Vanderbilt Law:

Everyone gathering round to watch the adorable gifts being opened:

"I was born Cute" and "Life of the Party"

Cousin Kendall, Aunt Ebby, Cousin Mary Byrne, Aunt Joann

Kate, Gail, Rachel:

Let us not forget that this is a Hoosier baby! 

Cuddly stuffed animals.  Aunt Monica looking so sweet:

Lanier and Kate and all our precious mommies:

USN Crew!  Lanier, Kate, Me, Freya, Nathalie, Claire (sorry Lacie, you missed this shot):

And always a favorite of mine, the "bathing beauties" pose (by the way, if you ever wondered why we call it that, it's because we have a picture of us in our swim suits from when we were little girls in this same pose). 

The shower invitation that my sister sent out had an adorable rhyming poem on it that she wrote...and my Mom surprised me by writing a continuation of that poem.  I LOVED it and everyone really enjoyed hearing it.  :o)

I am incredibly grateful for so many family and friends coming together (even those that couldn't make it in person) to celebrate and shower us with useful and adorable gifts.  I am so looking forward to using them!  I had a wonderful time and THANK YOU to all!  And especially you, E!  It was a good thing we drove because we needed our car to get all the goodies back to NJ.  I thought about trying to take more pictures of everything, but figured it would be even better with a baby in the photo later on, right?

PS Today I am getting the maternity dress from all these pictures hemmed up to a better length. I have found that I love maternity clothes! I've pretty much stuck to Old Navy and Target.  Let me know if you know of other great spots.

Have a stellar weekend.