The "bestest" tea ever!!!!

Saturday I attended the most wonderful baby shower I've ever been to and it was for me!! It was a beautiful tea party and what made it so special was the time, effort, thoughtfulness, care and attention to detail that the ladies-who-lunch, my girly-girl posse Cindy, Daphne, Jill, Julie, Sonia and Stephanie put into making the shower so "me." From entering Jill's home and seeing a large poster of Maisie waving till the time it was over, it was just a beautiful and special afternoon.

There was one beautiful table after another, each draped in tablecloths with scattered rose petals everywhere. In addition each table had beautiful fresh flowers and it seemed everywhere I looked there was a picture of Maisie waving and a giraffe. The girls had gathered every stuffed giraffe that their children owned and added them to the table decoration. The first table had beautiful china teapots filled with a great variety of teas, china teacups and butter mints in little ladybug wrappers. Another table held champagne flutes filled with mimosas. The food table was beautiful too with pretty platters of tea sandwiches including pimento, cream cheese on cinnamon bread, smoked salmon and of course cucumber. There was also a wonderful salad, delicious fresh fruit, lemon poppy seed cake and the pastries set up on tiered platters, OMG!!!

Sonia, her sister Lisa and their Mom Barbara made numerous different kinds of cookies and pastries. I tried each and every one so let's see if I can remember them all even if I don't have all the names quite right. There were apricot bars, date nut bars, lemon splash cookies, walnut butterballs, buckeyes, ginger snaps, seven-layer bars, ruggalach, brownie bites and walnut tarts. As I said, I may not have the names right but they were all delicious. One last special detail was the little diaper candy holders that Julie's Mom Susan made as favors. They were so cute and I hope that she didn't get too many pin sticks from the mini diaper pins. I really appreciate Susan, Lisa and Barbara taking the time to help make all the wonderful treats and treat holders, thank you so much!!

More special things about the shower were all my wonderful friends who were able to attend including my girlfriend Angela who came down from
North Carolina and really surprised me as I never expected any of my out of town friends to be able to attend. Before the gifts were unwrapped, everyone told of how and where we met. It was nice to hear all the stories and just how much so many people were looking forward to Maisie's arrival. I was surrounded by so many fabulous ladies, just thinking about it makes me smile and I'm so pleased and thankful that they were able to share in my special day.

Now talk about being spoiled! Gifts have been arriving at our home all week and the wonderful gifts I received at the shower was over the top!! I'm pleased to say that Maisie now has many, many toys both educational and fun. Plastic is the newest member of the house and I'm not just talking about all those great gift cards or the often used and abused cards in my wallet but the big, colorful plastic that is meant to be climbed on, through, pushed, pulled and makes lots of noise kind of plastic. Maisie will be kept warm with clothes, adorable hats for her little bald head and tiny slippers for her little tiny toes. She'll be loved with many soft blankets, cuddle blankies and just a few giraffes including a blue one! Her bed won't be just for show anymore as she now has pads and sheets and if just by chance there happens to be a stinky diaper or two, there's a genie to help in that department. Her room will have books and CD's and the girl will be wearing just a little bit of bling and I think 14K is going to be her color!



In addition Maisie will now be able to leave the house and be safe and comfy in her cushy new car seat. She'll also have one hot Momma, OK maybe not, but she'll have one fashionably attired Momma attending to her as I'll be strutting around proudly with my new Kate Spade pink giraffe diaper bag. Hmmmm, how long can I keep Maisie in diapers so I get to carry that bag around!?!?!

Truly though as long and bumpy as this road to Maisie has been, looking back I don't know if I'd change anything including the wait. The friends and people that we've met along the way have been an inspiration, a blessing and a gift to not only Eammon and I but going forward many years to come, for all of us including Maisie. We've made some lifelong friendships that wouldn't have been made had the wait been as short as first anticipated. Thank you to everyone who attended my shower and to everyone who sent such fabulous gifts not only now but all through the wait. A special thank you to my girly-girls for the "bestest" tea party shower ever. Thank you also to our family and friends for your support, encouragement and for sharing the ride with us. Now bring on Maisie and let the real ride of a lifetime begin!!