A Little Pumpkin is on the way: Surprise Baby Shower

There is a great little breakfast place about 20 minutes from our house. We hadn't been since April, so when Miles suggested we go this weekend, I thought it was a great idea.  When Miles came home from hunting, he showered and we left. As we headed out there he mentioned that the last time we were there it took awhile and maybe there was somewhere else we should go. Knowing that if he doesn't get food, particularly breakfast, he gets really hangry (read, totally annoying to be around), I threw out the suggestion that we just go to Cracker Barrel instead, but we decided that we may as well see what the wait is like first. So we walked into this restaurant and I knew there was no way Miles (and probably Finn as well, who takes after his dad with his passion for breakfast) would be patient while we waited. Miles said something about "let me just check and see what it looks like" and I was about to tell him he was an idiot because clearly all these people in front of us were waiting for a table, but he walked further into the restaurant, so I followed. As I walk in, he turns and says "well, you could sit here" and points to a table where I first look at my friend Julia who was sitting there. My brain was starting to think "oh, Julia is here" but then I looked around the table and saw several other friendly faces and then saw my sister-in-law Jenny smiling with this totally cute, mischievous smile and I knew they had all pulled a fast one on me.

Miles took Finn to get breakfast elsewhere and I joined the ladies for a really lovely brunch/surprise baby shower. Jenny had contacted some friends and family a while ago and had absolutely surprised me which was not only incredibly thoughtful and sweet, but it took out any anxiety about having a baby shower. We didn't play typical shower games - in fact the game Jenny had for us was a cute pumpkin trivia game to go along with the "little pumpkin" theme (fact: the largest pumpkin ever grown weighted 1,140 pounds) and the whole thing was just relaxed and comfortable which is all I could ever ask for as we celebrate this little baby.

One of my favorite things Jenny did was collect "wishes for baby" that she mailed to my friends and family. They filled them out, and sent them back to her so that I would have them the day of the shower. I didn't open them until I got home knowing that they would make me cry, but some of them were also cute/funny so I should have read them out loud.

Some of my favorites:

I hope you never forget: to put some $ in the Salvation Army bucket at Christmas (Nana)
I hope you love: oreos and Target! (Anna)
I hope you love: like Finn - he is so sweet (Jen)
I hope you ignore: gossip, pettiness & infomercials (Aunt Kate)
I hope you learn: all about your Uncle Daren (Amy)
I hope you aren't afraid: of snakes (grandma)
I hope you become: the person your dog thinks you are (Nana)
I hope you never forget: your brother Cale (Aunt Jenny)
I hope you grow: to be taller than me (Miles)
I hope you become: A Navy Pilot (Pop)
I hope you laugh: at the little things (Aunt Carmen)
I hope you learn: how fun life can be - and how to juggle, please master juggling (Aunt Kate)
I hope you get: to marry your best friend (Luciana)
I hope you grow: up happy (Aunt Jenny)

As I was going through those I realized I really wanted to type them all out - they are just so cute and it's such a great idea - to write down all the hopes and dreams and little wishes that people have for this baby. We have so many ourselves and while these last few weeks are scary and filled with anxiety, they are also so exciting because hopefully in just a few more weeks, one of our biggest wishes will come true.

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