Showered with Friends!

My final shower was held exactly one month prior to the big DUE DATE. I had some of the most dear friends in my life join me for some baby celebrating and prep. This also resulted in what Mingus referred to "baby bootcamp weekend," as we had babies coming and going all weekend! The shower was actually held in the Rumpus Room that is connected to our Loft. We considered having it in town at the church, but there were complications with that. Obviously having it where I live was SUPER convenient for me (No travel and no packing gifts home!), but I am especially grateful for all of those who made the trip to attend. I know I don't exactly live close to...well, anyone or anything!

I was fortunate to have two close friends visit for the entire weekend. Valto, her husband and two little boys (4 months and 2 years) as well as my friend Kara and her 8 month old came down Friday and stayed through Sunday. Valto, the busy, busy doctor lady that she is, had been hoping to make a family trip to the Valley sometime in September and it just happened to work out that the shower weekend was the best option. Kara, who'd generously volunteered to throw me a shower in Louisville, came down to help with these shower arrangements instead. She did a fabulous job decorating with fall decor--which we all know I love!

I had friends come that spanned all corners of my life--GSP and high school, church and Bellarmine, to friends I've made in more recent years... So many of them were people I do not get to see too often but mean so very much to me. I hate that it is only on these occasions that I see some of them, but better than never. It's fun to be joining my close friends who are already on the motherhood path. Luckily for those who are and brought their young ones, my cousin Ru came down with her kiddos and played babysitter for several hours. She is so great with the little ones--seeing her occupy them and keep them happy made me realize all the more how lucky I am going to be to have her right up the road from me when the Peangling arrives!

My sister Rachel made it to the shower despite getting in SUPER late the night before from a flight traveling back from Rhode Island after being there all week. And not only was she there...but she hosted our games! Seeing how accurately someone could estimate my belly circumference was much more entertaining than I'd anticipated! KelKel had it practically dead one (with Valto maybe an INCH too long) while Rebecca's string made it around me nearly three times!

I received so much great stuff that really and truly rounded out our supply of baby "stuff" we were still in need of and I cannot get over it. In the beginning, Mingus and I browsed Walmart and Babies 'R' Us and were overwhelmed realizing the things we would need--everything from the big stuff like a car seat, down to the little things like first aid supplies and crib sheets--but we have been so blessed by family, friends and loved ones in their support and generosity so that this baby prep has been that much easier.

Thanks to all of those who attended this shower and again thank you to those who attended previous showers or who have sent their love and support in the mail or simply via text or Facebook message or a hug along the way. We feel the love and prayers more than you know.  Here are a few of my favorite non-shower shots from our weekend of fun!

Surprise - The Unexpected Baby Shower!

How blessed we are! 

It would be one thing if I were writing about a shower thrown for me by my coworkers...but I'm not. I'm here to write about a shower thrown for Mingus and myself by his coworkers a few weeks ago. I feel it's not uncommon for an expecting mother to have a shower from the people she spends so much of her day with through work, but it's so special that Mingus works with people that are this excited for us.

I suppose this just reflects yet another blessing of living in a small town and him working for a family-based business. While Tarter is an international company, the people care about each other and about family. Neither of us knew the shower was planned, but it was all spearheaded by Sheila, who is now his boss, but he has worked alongside in his department since he started at Tarter in 2011. They worked with my mom to get me into the office for the event, which actually worked out pretty easily. My mom makes regular trips to Tarter, as The 10th Planet (our family business) does a lot of work for Tarter. And while I may not work with these people, like Mingus, because I have lived here my entire life a lot of them are people I have known for a number of years (ie, I'm not just "Mingus's wife" to many of those who were at the shower.)

So mom made up some story about visiting a baby consignment shop and asked me to come along (I admit this is the most far-fetched part I had a little trouble with... It's not exactly in my Mom's character to use her non-work time to go on a random shopping trip. She didn't have to make up a reason to stop by Tarter on the way, as she actually did have a delivery to make. But while there one thing led to another and next thing I knew I was walking into one of their conference rooms that was full of smiling faces, pastel baby decorations and a pile of gifts! It was so overwhelming and I did not know what to say! I'm pretty sure I was shaking. Mingus wasn't even there yet and had no idea I was there. I had a chance to sit down, calm down and make sure I knew everyone who was there. It was great to faces to some of the names I hear Mingus mention regularly. They brought him down for a "conference call" shortly thereafter. It was entertaining to hear all of their stories about ways they'd been diverting him all day and leading up to the surprise to be sure no one gave it away.

We got SO much great stuff and the people were so generous; I can't get over it really. We got some awesome blankies--which, surprisingly, we hadn't gotten any regular cuddle baby blankets yet! We even got a handmade quilt in the absolute perfect aqua/green color to go with other stuff I've done in the nursery. I'm in love. We got cloth diapering essentials we were lacking... more clothes, which we don't have a lot of (gender neutral is tough!), some more baskets and such for storage, crib sheets and bath essentials. We also had some awesome group gifts including a walker and a monitor. And then the biggie: our car seat AND the jogging stroller (something we truly did not expect to get yet). Wow!

I still cannot get over the kind of love and support we are receiving from people. It's special for Mingus to know that the people he works with are genuinely happy and excited for him and so many people are praying for us.

The Backyard Baby-Q!

August brought for another wonderful shower with family! We traveled to Newburgh where Mingus's parents and sister did an excellent job of bringing together both sides of his family as well as family friends for a wonderful evening barbecue. 

Rather than the traditional ladies-only afternoon shower complete with pastels and games and finger foods, we had a relaxing backyard barbecue that Mingus and I could both enjoy. We don't get to town a whole lot as is and even when we do we don't usually see a lot of the family. This gave both of us the opportunity to catch up with everyone in the family--well to some degree. Obviously there is only so much catching up you can do in an evening with that many people.

The food was absolutely amazing. His parents, sister, aunt and uncle all contributed to the food. It was a beautiful day--rather warm but their wonderful neighbor Peggy lent her outdoor furniture for the backyard, which had just perfect shading to keep everyone comfortable. Purple, green and yellow decor brightened the atmosphere.

We were blessed with many warm wishes, the opportunity to meet the newest member of the Harris family: Isabelle. She was only a week old and itty, bitty! We were given so many wonderful gifts as well. We are pretty much set with bathing necessities. We got fun books and toys as well. We were really excited to get the diaper bag we registered for, which is a chocolate brown and is actually a backpack style bag. Jon is the one who found it at Babies'R'Us when we registered and was equally pumped to have gotten it. 

We also got an extra fun gift we weren't expecting. It's a full-size red kiddo wagon with rubber wheels and everything. Obviously it's not something the Peangling can or will use right away (although I can imagine some great photo ops!) but any baybo/kiddo in the Valley needs a red wagon for growing up and I'm SO glad we have one now!

We're so blessed to have such wonderful family and especially to have them praying for us and excited and supporting us. Thanks to them for giving us a great celebration and a wonderful time with everyone. 

Oliver with baby Isabelle

The expectant ladies!

Mingus & Grandma Lily!

Baby Gear: Shopping Fun with Mom

I had quite the day with my mom last week. We made a big trip to Lexington for a major baby consignment sale put on by one of the churches and to hit up a few of the baby/child consignment stores.

I learned about the sale, Lil' Lamb's Closet, through my aunt. Several years ago my cousin KK and I attended one in Richmond, Ky. Obviously not for me--and no not for her--but for our aunt and uncle who were adopting. I remembered how big the sale was--how much stuff they had available and all in good shape. Even better was the organization of it. The famous 127 Yardsale took place this past weekend, which has its pros and cons. If you have the time, it can be fun and beneficial to check out some of the sales--especially living so close. If you're not up for it, it's just a hassle to deal with the extra traffic of cars trying to make turn-offs at obscure locations, etc. These sales can have great deals on baby stuff, but the problem is finding the ones that have stuff you can utilize. It's hit and miss. These large consignment sales are great because everything is organized. If you're just looking for girls clothes size 2T, you get a whole rack of nothing but that and it's all in one place. Same goes for all clothes, any size, gear, furniture, toys, bedding, and on and on. 

Remembering this sale in Richmond earlier in the summer, I inquired with my aunt, if she knew if it was something they still did. As it turns out, it is still an event they put on (I think twice a year) but she discovered one in Lexington as well. Their "fall" sales happened to be taking place the same weekend and I opted for Lexington's only so I could also hit up several consignment shops also that day. 

Lil Lambs Closet

I considered going up on Thursday to volunteer with set up. Had I done this I could have shopped early on Thursday night, but since my Mom agreed to come we decided instead to just get there right at 8 a.m. when it started. It was indeed overwhelming and the traffic of people only grew while we were there. Items were moving quickly but they had a multitude of everything. 

With a couple of showers still on the agenda over the next couple of months I knew I shouldn't overdo the shopping; at the same time, I don't want to wait until the last minute to get so many of the things I need, especially because when you're scrambling you can't exactly bank on finding a good deal on things. I think I did a good job of balancing what was worth springing for and what could just wait. There are so many things that it will be good to have more than one of anyway. Mom was also able to stock up on some things she had been looking for. 

However, the big item I did want to look for and they had ZERO of was a crib! So after stocking up at the consignment sale, we stopped by a few stores to see if they happened to have any good cribs. I knew I could order one online that I liked through wayfair.com for anywhere between $140 to $180 (not including tax or shipping). So I knew getting a used one for about that price wasn't necessarily worth it. 

Lil' Lambs Closet

 We had no luck at Re-Kid, but then my sister told me about Kid 2 Kid, which had several cribs. After some contemplation and a phone call to Mingus, we opted for a great deal on a dark wood crib they were selling with the mattress and a changing table. We weren't really looking for a changing table, as there is one in the Loft where we live that we were told we could have; however, it needs some repair as it's not the most stable piece of furniture. For the price of getting all three and having a nice looking table--with drawers--we spent the $140 to get all three pieces. Mingus and I had to make a second trip to Lexington later that evening in order get it all home in the truck bed. 

While it was along day with a lot of time in the car, I was super excited by the time I was home. I've not done a lot with the room we are putting the crib, aside from moving out other furniture we no longer need, but after having had a shower and now collecting more gear at the sale, I really want to get it all organized. Mingus says the "nesting" is setting in. Maybe he's right :)

Mingus & I spent Saturday with Jo & MJ at the lake!
We had a great time just relaxing at the pool!
Bellies sure are growing - Woo, 3rd trimester!!

The Baybo-SPLOSION Shower with the Fam!

My first baby shower was last weekend and it was fabulous! I honestly think part of it's fabulous-ness had to do with the fact it wasn't just for me! I always feel slightly awkward about showers for me. It's one thing growing up as a kid opening presents in front of everyone on your birthday, but as an adult it feels a little strange. For the wedding it was extra weird to me because these were all people who were probably going to also buy me a wedding gift... and it's not like the gifts I was being "showered" with were things I needed in order to get married. At least with a baby shower I feel SO grateful that people are willing to help me out with the (what seems like) millions of essentials I'll need in order to take care of this little child growing inside of me!

But in this case, the shower was not just for me. The Dixon family hosted a shower for Michelle, Jo and myself. So not only did I feel extra grateful for the support I was getting from my family, but all of the attention was not solely on me!

On top of it being spectacular just because I got to share it with two of my closest, best friends, the fam did an excellent job with everything about the shower. It's the first baby shower the family has had in, wow... over 11 years? These babies are quite an excitement among the fam! 

Jo's sister, Belle, spearheaded most of it. We had it a little earlier than showers traditionally come, but I am more than OK with being able to already scratch things off our list. She designed super cute invites and she and her mom prepped the Rumpus Room at the family Hall for the shower. They also shopped for small gifts to give to us preggo ladies every time there was a door prize. Our cousin KK organized the games. I'm not always a fan of shower games but she did a good job picking out fun ones. Maybe, in general, I just like baby shower games better than wedding shower ones. My sister, Rachel, coordinated food. Since we had it on a Sunday morning it was brunch themed. It was complete with quiche, fruit, coffee cake, donuts and a trifle. Our cousin Jerusha decorated the Rumpus Room and she went all out with it. She and sister Als were up past midnight working on the room the night before and they really transformed the space making the event that much more special.

I loved everything I got... Even though I am going to cloth diaper, I got quite a few regular diapers which I know I'll use and be glad to have on hand. I did get a couple more cloth diapers, diaper rash cream, shampoo, wipes... I got our bath tub, a feeding pillow, an activity mat, humidifier and a wipe warmer. Jerusha and Als win the creativity award. Jerusha's gift came in a cupcake box and looked like a bunch of fluffy icing cupcakes, but they were rolled up onesies (with a sock in the middle for color). Each onesie she had a custom design on it--we each got nine and they were all different and so cute! Als made us each a mobile and I love ours! Mingus was even extra excited about it. It has little farm animals and such. So cute and so personal!

 It was a great first baby shower experience for me and the Peangling. We grateful for all those who came and everything we received, but most of all we're grateful for a family who is so supportive and we know is sending prayers our way.

All of the Cousins!

Baby Fun & Freebies!

I know I would be excited about this venture of parenthood regardless of whether I was the first of my friends or not, but there is no denying that going through it for the first time with so many of my closest friends is icing on the cake. It is great to have friends with experience but there is something comforting in hearing the same concerns and questions from others going through it for the first time. It also means we are also all going through the same process of prep work!

Working partially in Louisville and staying at Nic & Michelle's house when I do means lots of baby talk for Michelle and I--which is very nice! I love sharing news and updates and ideas with Michelle because she is so excited about everything. When my belly first really started to grow--and I felt like all of my clothes just made me look fat because it was too early for it to be a clear "baby bump"--Michelle squealed with excitement over the "cuteness" of a belly. She also likes to use me as somewhat of a timer for herself. Since her due date is two weeks behind mine, when I experience something for the first time, she knows she can expect something similar in the next two weeks or so--of course that is not an exact science.

19 Weeks for me & 17 for Michelle

I have been to two baby fairs so far--both were random luck that Mingus and I were in town for them. (Casey County is way too small to host such events!) We'd already planned a trip to Lexington on a Saturday when I just so happened to catch up with Jo the Friday before. When discussing our weekend plans she mentioned going to an event being put on by the hospital, Baptist Health, called "Expect Great Things." I have to say this was a fabulous event. The only drawback for us, of course, is that we are not Lexington residents so many of the vendors were showcasing services we weren't likely to take advantage of because of the distance. (Photographers, fitness classes, pediatricians, etc) At the same time, you never know when we might need a specialist or have trouble finding someone that fits our needs closer than Lexington. 

 The event had probably 30-50 vendors, all with free information to pass out and helpful friendly faces. Most of them were offering drawings for free prizes. The event itself had TONS of door prizes including a grand prize of a full nursery set--and it was BEAUTIFUL! There was also a spread of delicious food--everything from fruit and hummus dips to mini slider burgers and tacos! I cannot find where there is a standing page on their website about this event, but I highly encourage any preggers ladies in the Lexington area to look for this event in the future.

While we did not win the grand prize, all of us had a little luck. Jo was an early door prize winner and received a super cute, neon green and yellow diaper bag--great for either sex and perfect for monogramming! Later, through one of the booth drawings, I won a Bumbo seat--something I know I would have purchased eventually or had on a shower list so I was pretty stoked. 

Mingus and I actually got extra lucky... Since seeing the table of door prizes we had both been in awe over the beautiful wooden high chair. LONG before getting pregnant we'd talked about wanting a wooden high chair. We once saw one at a Peddler's Mall that Mingus wanted to buy, but me and my tight-wad ways (and the fact we'd just gotten married and had no plans for kids anytime soon) said no. A local store in the Mennonite community sells them but, being hand crafted, they are pretty costly. We know we won't need one too soon but it is the one thing we KNOW exactly what we want. 

Well, when the event wrapped up and the four of us were talking I could not help but notice that the chair was still sitting at the door prize table and pointed the fact out to Mingus. I told him he might go let the ladies at the table know that we were very interested in the chair if it hadn't been claimed.... Mingus took me up on this and let them know that if no one claimed the chair we would even buy it. They told him that since people were still wandering about they were going to wait and see if it was claimed. Fair enough.

About five minutes later--when we still had no left--a lady came up to Jon and asked, "Do you still have your ticket?" "Yes." "Well, I think you are the luck winner of a beautiful new wooden high chair!!" !!!!! And just like that it was ours!! I felt a little bad telling the nurse who was giving it to us that we were not local and would not be delivering at Baptist Health (unless it was an emergency) but she understood. We are SO excited! And I'm so grateful Mingus put in a word to them because there is no doubt we would NOT be the owners of that chair had he not. Thank you also to Nursery Time for being the donators of the chair--we are absolutely thrilled!

While in Lexington that day I also picked up my first few items of maternity clothes. Since then my cousin Jerusha has shared all of her clothes she's had in storage the last few years since ending her baby run. So far I'm still fitting in my regular clothes but only select ones of course!

Earlier this month we lucked upon another hospital sponsored baby event. During our latest trip to Indiana to visit Mingus's family, we were able to attend a similar event. Now this one did not have the amazing food spread or numerous door prizes--and many of the vendors were even less relevant to us (being that we live four hours away) but there was still lots of free information and freebies. You can never turn that stuff down! We also happened to show up at the exact same time as Mingus's cousin Jessica who we recently found out is expecting a month after us!