Back from Atlanta

I have been looking forward to this past weekend for a long time, and it went by fast, but was worth every minute on the road!  Saturday was Stephanie's baby shower.  When you've known someone as long as I have her, since March of 1983, it's so special to be able to spend yet another milestone with each other (and may I also mention we have not lived in the same state since 1988 and have never gone longer than 18 months without seeing each other?).

My parents picked me and the kids up Friday afternoon, and we check into the hotel around 8.  After a bath and a quick visit from Uncle Bryan, the kids were ready to go to bed, and we all got a great night's sleep.  Saturday morning Stephanie met us at the hotel.  The kids showed off their swimming skills, and then we took a quick lap around the closest mall.

Stephanie's mom and a local friend hosted the shower, so all I had to do was show up.  It was a quasi-secret, but when people starting all making plans to come into town the same weekend, Stephanie started to know something was up.  She did not, however, know her sister-in-law and niece had flown in from Richmond the night before, so that was a big surprise.  The guest list was perfect, considering Stephanie had no say in it.  The shower was at a tea house, and I left Amelia at the hotel with Pops so I didn't have to worry about anyone spilling/breaking anything.  (And she slept almost the entire time, so Pops got to spend the afternoon watching movies with Seth.)  Thanks, Dad!

The guest of honor:

I love seeing her with a belly!  Note to self, though:  my kids would be very bad to my self esteem if we ever had another (and if you've been around Amelia lately, you know the likelihood of that happening gets slimmer by the day).  Seth kept saying "She's really big" and "She has a big belly"  (Stephanie has a good 3-4 inches in height on me...), and Amelia kept lifting up her shirt to look at her belly button.  Sorry, Steph!

A little birdie told me that Stephanie had liked my diaper bag last year.  So I ordered her one, in pink and brown, and stuffed it with all the necessities, so when she gets home from the hospital, she will just need to add her wallet, keys, and cell phone and she'll be ready to go!  I didn't know Stephanie was on a pink and brown kick with the baby stuff, so bonus points for me!

That evening, Barb (my other mom when I was growing up), had everyone over to her condo for pizza.  The kids loved her pool, and Uncle Bryan was the in-water lifeguard so I didn't have to get soaked.  Amelia was probably too overstimulated, and I had a heck of a time getting her to stay asleep, but hey, it's a Mayse kid on vacation.  Did I really expect them to both sleep both nights?

Sunday morning we loaded up and went over to Bryan's.  Seth had never seen it before, and now he knows his Uncle Bryan's house too.  The ride back home was uneventful, thank goodness for portable DVD players.  I even finished some continuing ed!  Our weekends this fall stay busy, stay tuned to hear about our next adventure!