8 Months Pregnant #4 (Part 2)

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

(Yes, the same day as the whole leg debacle. One hour later, as a matter of fact. LOL)

It had been a somewhat stressful morning, but it turned into a wonderful, joy-filled afternoon.

I left the hospital, raced home, cleaned up as best I could, and struggled through a seriously blinding snowfall to Mount Everest, an Indian restaurant in downtown Evanston. All my bosses from the Animal 911 building - Sue (Chicago Exotics), Kelly (Animal 911), Share (Kindred Spirits), and Susan (Internal Medicine Referral Service) - joined forces and threw me the sweetest baby shower there, because they knew it was my favorite restaurant in town.

I parked across the street in the lovely, heated indoor parking garage attached to the library. It's worthwhile to note that back then, in my pre-Ayize days, it was one of the first times I'd ever used that garage. Funny to think of now, because we have parked and played there about three times a week all winter long for the past three years.

Anyway, I trudged upstairs and out the door, then made my way through the slush and falling snow across the street to the restaurant. Dr. Horton had totally outdone herself with adorable decor. The long table was adorned with - appropriately - frog, duck and turtle (hey, I said she was an exotic animal vet!) stuffed animal rattles and squeakers that served as decor, and would also later serve to make little Ayize gurgle with delight.

There were cute "It's a boy" weighted bags and balloons and lettering, and best of all, she somehow found these crazy ice skating animal babies in honor of Ayize's Baby Daddy (BD).

We were all cracking up about the "Blade Babies" - only Sue could have come up with something like this. The woman is amazing!

Anyhow, it was kind of a baby shower/farewell lunch, since my last day of work was fast approaching, faster than I'd expected (see previous post). So it was a bittersweet event, because I was surrounded by so many wonderful co-worker friends, but I already missed their company, knowing that I would be off work for at least 12 weeks (and not knowing that I would be off for far, far longer).

A bunch of my co-workers braved the uber-bad weather to come out and munch on samosas and curries and naan and to sip mango lassis. The food was heavenly, as always (even more so when I was pregnant!), but the company was what made it an unforgettable experience. I have always been one of those folks who gets totally uncomfortable about being given gifts, or having any kind of event held in her honor, so this was the perfect "test-run" for the two larger showers to come in the following week. I tried to gracefully accept gifts, limit my apologies and blushing, and shush my instinctive, I feel so bads and Oh, you shouldn't haves. Not sure how well I succeeded (my co-workers would be the best judge of that, and they will probably laugh if they read this), but anyway, I tried hard to not freak out too much. And when I wasn't freaking out, I was having the time of my life.

Everyone had gone out of their way to get really unique, adorable things for the baby-to-be. I was so touched that I kept tearing up. And no, it was not just those pesky pregnancy hormones.

This is just the first two things I pulled out of a gynormous bag literally crammed full of fun baby stuff from Alyssa and Donna. They had gone "a little crazy", in their own words, and spent a small fortune at Target in the baby boy section. This photo reminds me of the funniest moment of the shower - we were all dying giggling because this was like the bottomless bag. Every time the onlookers thought I was finished extracting items, I'd say, "Oh no, wait, there's more" and fish another burp cloth or baby bootie or hooded towel or bib or onesie or bottleout. It was hilarious, and awesome!

This "me & my mommy" bib was a favorite from the first moment I laid eyes on it.

Holly gave Ayize a nighttime "soother" which played soft lullabies and shone colorful stars and smiley faces and hearts on the ceiling above Ayize's bed. As he got older, he learned to manipulate it to cast pictures on the walls and floor. And funnily enough, he even pulled it out this afternoon when a young baby friend was over to play. So cool, that he remembers it, and knows to take it out for the little guys.

She also gave him this little mouse that he still adores. I decided not to follow through on my threat (I remember telling her that I thought it was so cute, I was going to keep it for myself)! And the white knit blanket she gave us was the softest, sweetest thing - it carried us through many a miserable eve in the hospital in the weeks after.

Justine gave Ayize several organic-cotton onesies including two tiny blue and blue-striped ones that were perfect during his chicken pox days (the only short-sleeved ones we owned, since he was a winter baby), and a bigger, firefly-appliqued, one-piece, footed pajama, that was equally perfect, since he grew into it just when he was ready for long sleeves again.

She also gave him his first stacking toy, this doggie one, which he loved when he was first learning to sit up and play.

Ghost Bunny makes his inaugural appearance! Trish gave us this funny little guy, who became Ayize's steadfast companion these past few years.

She also gave us this gorgeous, handmade jacket. The colors are amazing, and he can still (kind of) fit into it today (okay, it's a little bit of a stre-e-e-etch! But it's so hard to say goodbye to something that's so beautiful).

There were more gifts, lovely clothes and toys and necessities and books and baby gear from the shower-throwing doctors, Tina, Shonali, Steph (besides several cute doggie outfits, and some toys, she also gave several packs of diapers and wipes, which I thought was awesome - a combo gift of fun and functional LOL), Diana, and everyone else - but sadly, I only have these few photos. Believe it or not, I hardly took photos at all back then, so I'm lucky to have even these!

Anyhow, Donna sat beside me and carefully took note of each gift and its giver on an envelope so that I could just enjoy the moment. With each adorable blue-tinged, bear-bedecked, beribboned package, my heart broke a little more with joy. I really did have the best co-workers around.

I have to add here that my peeps from my other two jobs, at McCormick Animal Hospital, and at CARE for the Evanston Animal Shelter, though not in any organized shower setting, had already bestowed the baby with a boatload of lovely and thoughtful gifts in the past few weeks. So I was truly overwhelmed with gratitude and emotion to be receiving even more well wishes and generous gifts.

Anyway, after opening gifts, we sat around chatting and laughing and sinking our teeth into the sumptuous double chocolate cake Sue had brought along (see below). Finally, it was time to go.

Dr. Tina (Green Paws Veterinary Care), pictured below in red stripes, was due one month after me, so we commiserated over end-of-pregnancy woes as we donned our coats and scarves to depart.

She and I did a cheesy, hysterical, leap-in-the-air, slapstick "high-five" of our two enormous baby bumps, but unfortunately, it was shot on someone else's camera (not sure who's), and I never saw the photo. It was a gold star moment, though, for sure!

It had been a long day - very eventful, exhausting, and exhilarating. I trudged to my car, Justine by my side:

kindly helping me, our arms completely bowed down under the weight of so many packages and presents.

What an amazing day it had been.

I felt so blessed!