Party Panties!

...for the Lord made them joyful...Ezra 6:22

What an absolutely fabulous weekend! I can't remember being quite so content. So blessed. So happy. We spent the entire weekend surrounded by people we love, celebrating, well...life :)

On Saturday we celebrated little Cooper with an absolutely AMAZING baby shower thrown by 4 of my most wonderful girlfriends in all the world: Abby, Jennifer, Lori, and Colleen. Seriously. I am still speechless at how perfectly planned and thoughtful the entire day was!

From the tiny petifores nestled in safari themed goodie bags,

to the handmade monogrammed menus,

to the gorgeous hydrangea centerpieces,

to the precious polka dotted diaper cake,

to the pre-addressed sparkle purse preggo lady thank you cards,

to the surprise birthday cake and singing...

I spent the entire day in absolute awe at these girls and what they did for me. So, so blessed. So, so grateful.

We were having so much fun we forgot to take many pictures! Here are just a few...

28 of my most dear girlfriends and family members dined on a delightful lunch at the most darling restaurant, Grace 17:20 (lunch came complete with our unsuspecting 21 year old waiter who unbeknownst to him, learned about things like epidurals and water births, and mucous plugs...poor thing!). Lunch was to die for! I had the roast beef sandwich with, my all time favorite, stone mill grits. Holy yumminess!

The outpouring of love and mountain of sweet little baby gifts left me speechless. It was a day I will never, ever forget.

Sunday was cold and rainy, which was absolutely perfect :) Chris and I spent the afternoon building various baby contraptions like pack and plays, swings, bouncy seats, and Diaper Genies. Well mostly, Chris built various baby contraptions while I ooohed and aahed over tiny socks and bibs and onesies and blankies. It amazes me how loved this sweet baby is and he isn't even here yet!

We wrapped up the afternoon at Target. (Yes, I snuck past the bed rest trolls more than once this weekend...)

Oh Target! Oh bliss!

Usually our rule is that Chris is not allowed to go into my Target happy place with me. A little history...boys seem to think that you go into places like Target for a specific purpose. My dad is the same exact way. Girls go into places like Target to frolick about and spend the afternoon perusing the dollar spot and comparing brands of paper towels and bathroom cleaning products.

Needless to say, I settled in for a 3 hour jaunt, while Chris quickly informed me that we needed to, ahem, pick up the pace. I became foul humored and sweaty while trying to sort through my coupons and make it down every single aisle looking for things we didn't need nor would ever need. About 23 minutes into the baby bottle aisle (why were we looking at baby bottles when we were just given a gazillion little baby items, I DON'T KNOW, WE JUST WERE!), he announced "We need to go NOW because I have somewhere to be!". Gracious day alive husband, where on earth is it that you have to be!?!

Turns out, we had to be at the surprise birthday party dear hubby had planned for moi. What!?!? *Shuffle in seat. Wring hands.* Wrap up unnecessary Target time wasting. Off we flew to my 2nd favorite restaurant establishment, Bonefish, for none other than a surprise birthday shindig! What a surprise! Hubs pulled it off, bless him. He showered me with so much love and frilly girly things all weekend (my favorite: a new Vera Bradley weekend duffle that coordinates with the nursery...lime green and brown--so sweet!)...so there you have it, an absolutely PERFECT weekend. I feel so loved and so blessed.

Thank you all who helped me to celebrate this weekend! I love you all so very much!