I started my day yesterday with this status update:

“It’s sunny, cool and breezy with a 100% chance of baby showers.”

Because I’m clever that way and I was really excited about my baby shower. And for good reason, the shower ended up being super fun and cute. I am one lucky lady because thirteen (yes, 13) wonderful, creative and organized women got together to throw me a Texas-sized, monkey-themed baby shower.

          Me and the lovely hostesses (Left to Right: Teri Visor, Sydney Anderson, Marcia Nelson, Stephanie Cone, Elain Winn, Donna Cranfill, Beth Journey, Terry Copeland, Debbie Savage, Janell Novak, Tira Norris and (not pictured) Christa Moore and Robin Gathright)

These women were great, they organized, decorated, cooked and kept everything running smoothly while I sat back and enjoyed my banana punch and cupcake. Yummy!

Speaking of yummy, the food these ladies put together was soooo goooood. From enchilada dip to olive stuffed cheese balls to shrimp dip and a cheese roll, the spread was really good. And that doesn’t even include the sweets cupcakes, monkey and banana-shaped cookies, and the world’s best marshmallow-caramel apple dip. Oh my. I had to go off my sugar embargo for the day.

          The delicious food spread.

I was happily enjoying my sugar buffet when much to my (mostly feigned) chagrin, we played the “Guess the circumference of the belly” game. Everyone was really good at guessing the girth of my belly and two people tied. I won’t repeat the results here, but my lovely Aunt Syd suggested it should have been “guess the circumference of her boobs” game, which would have done more for my self-esteem.

We also played the “Don’t say ‘baby’, or loose the pin” game. My niece Payten jumped right on this one and started collecting them left and right.

I had to give her a bit of a challenge though, so when she walked up to me and said, “What’s in your belly?” I replied, “A fetus.”
She puffed up and said, “That’s not even a word!”
Then she tried again later, “Aunt Sydney, what are you having?”
I said, “It’s a boy!” She rolled her eyes and walked away.

So, I found her later and said, “You know Payten, even though I am having my own, you will always be the prettiest BABY.” And then I handed over my pin. She ended up winning with 13 pins!

          Payten with her clothes pins.

The last game we played was a baby word scramble, which my best friend from high-school friend swept—unscrambling an impressive 21 out of 25 words. After food and games time, it was presents time. Overwhelmed is the word that comes to mind, and over-joyed. We got so many useful and adorable things, I just can’t tell you how loved I felt by the end of the day.

We got so many cute outfits, lots of monkey things, of course, and several puppy and cowboy themed outfits—cowboys, dogs and monkey the perfect companions for a little boy. We got a sweet little bear called a Noah bear that talks. It welcomes the baby and has great message about life and prayers and family. I’ve listened to it several times and it brings tears to my eyes each time. We got a unique and amazing quilt made in the shape of a puppy. I got my stroller and car seat and I got the funds to buy a rocking chair. It’s all so exciting and everything is really coming together. I feel very blessed. In addition to these gifts we also received many of the essentials we’re going to need for our little sprout.

The party went by really quickly, but it was so much fun catching up with friends and family, many who drove in from out of town for the shower. I will never forget how loved I felt talking and laughing with everyone who spoiled me and our little sprout with their joy and gifts.

Words really can’t express my gratitude for shower of blessing bestowed on me and the baby. It was a wonderful day–windy and cool with 100% joy and love.

          This is is my friend Jennifer’s beautiful baby girl, Sydney.