Not That You Asked

Here's Harper at a baby shower we went to this afternoon.

It took place at one of the coolest condos I've been to.

But that's not the story.  The story is that we got to celebrate the upcoming son or daughter of some friends we've known since 2000.  The crazy thing about our history with Tim and Angela is that we met them in Indiana where we became fast friends, and within weeks several years later, we found out we were both moving to Maryland. 

Here I am hanging out with the mommy-to-be (those pins on our clothes are for a game we were playing that had something to do with trying to obtain as many as you can.....you know I kicked butt on that game.  Me and my "Hey! How ya doin'?  Let's make some small talk" self.)

There was a pinata.

I think it's safe to say that Hadley thinks anything that gives away free candy, like Halloween, is a fine invention.  This was by far, the highlight of the afternoon.

Do you see that pink piece of tissue paper near Hadley?  She used that to carry her loot in.  At first, she was just grabbing as much as she could and trying to carry it.  However, after realizing that this was simply not going to work due to the amount of candy she wanted, she grabbed that piece of tissue paper and made herself a little catch-all.  The kid has to be told to brush her teeth, turn off lights, put on underwear, but find a way to store as much candy as possible?  She's totally got that.

 Hooray!

It was a really fun time, and I can't wait to meet Baby H.

Looking at this picture I'm thinking back and wondering if I was giving Angela unwanted advice.  You know, you get around other moms, and moms-to-be and stuff just starts coming out of your mouth before you can say, "STOP TALKING!  STOP TALKING NOW!"  I think part of it is I've been where she's going and I want her to know that as hard and confusing and exhausting as it's going to get, it isn't anything she can't handle.  It's not a "I did this and I'm totally awesome because of it" kind of thing.  It's more like I'm excited for her and want to let her know she'll be just fine.   I guess it's my way of rooting Angela on.

Hadley was 10 days overdue.  I wasn't working because I was on somewhat of a liberal bedrest due to contractions that started several weeks before it was safe for Hadley to be born.  So one morning, after I'd watched my 5th episode of The Gilmore Girls, I decided I was going to go somewhere.  I'd heard walking was supposed help the baby come faster, so I figured I'd take a walk.  The problem was, I couldn't get my right shoe on.  Something about a nerve in my butt made it excruciating to get that other shoe on my foot.  I sat down on our couch and cried.  Then I called Jesse and said, "I can't leave the house because I can't get my shoe on!" 

Jesse did his best to cheer me up, but what really made a difference that morning was receiving my very first text message. It was from Angela.  I think she'd won an award for teaching.  I can't remember what it was, but it was so good to hear from her.  What she didn't realize is that for a few minutes, while I tried to figure out how to text her back, and we had a little conversation, she'd taken my mind off of the hugeness of my stomach and the lack of mobility I was experiencing at the moment.  She made me feel normal again.

And I think that's what we moms are all trying to do with our stories of delivering our beautiful babies, or discussing the many nights we tried to get them to sleep, or whatever it is we share.  We're just trying to make you feel normal again. 

OK, maybe we think we're a little awesome because of what we did.  I mean, 9lb 10oz? And I pushed for 30 minutes and then there was my Hadley Grace? That's nothin' to shake a stick at.