The Road To Baby Madsen: Our IVF Journey: My Baby Shower!

I looked forward to this day for weeks! I felt like a kid counting down the days until my birthday party. It started to become especially exciting when friends started to RSVP. Finally Saturday arrived and friends started showing up...and before I knew it, it was over. Then I was left trying to think of anything else I have to look forward to in the next seven weeks...otherwise it is going to be a very long stretch waiting for this baby to come! Fortunately I came up with some things:

A family sleepover with Ryan's sister and her kids
A possible weekend getaway with some friends
Lecturing in a class at the University of Utah
My best friend's baby shower

Hopefully these little fun events help me fill in the waiting time!

My shower was a total success! Deidre, a friend from high school, planned the whole thing. The decorations were cute, the food was good, the games were fun (not too cheesy and optional, so I think everyone enjoyed them) and the turn out was AMAZING!

When I made my invite list, it ended up being longer than I expected, and in the days that followed I found myself thinking of others I wish I had invited (I am sorry to the friends I missed), but I was afraid to add more because I already had 30 people to invite. I figured like most events only about a third of those would make it, but I was wrong. Including myself there were 20 people crammed into my living room (which is a pretty big room) plus four kids and three babies! I don't think I have ever had a better turn out for any party!

Thank you to everyone who came! (Sara, you somehow dodged all pictures!)

Shower Fun!

We played three games. For the first one, everyone had a little blue clothespin clipped to their shirt and any time anyone said the word "baby" anyone who heard it could call them on it and steal their clothespin. In the end my teenage niece, Abby won with five or six pins lined up on her shirt.

For the second game, Deidre walked around with string and had everyone cut the length they thought would fit around my big pregnant belly. My sister-in-law, Tricia came very close, but my next door neighbor Jaymee took home the prize--she somehow guessed it exactly right!

The last game was a diaper toss. We had to throw wadded up diapers (don't worry...they were clean) down the hall and see how many we could get in a bin in one minute. I actually did pretty good at that game (despite looking like a toddler learning how to throw), but I still did not win. My 8-year-old niece Brinlee won, beating out my mom and sister by one diaper.

The string game and the diaper toss...and my niece looking beautiful watching!

The treats! Veggies and avocado hummus, Brie cheese and crackers, cookies and brownies, and candy!

Next came the presents. I cannot believe how many fun things I got! Between all the gifts and the clothes I have purchased, this kid might not wear the same outfit twice for his first 6 months of life! And he is going to be one stylish little man!

I am so excited to get the nursery set up and put all our gifts away--thanks to Ryan's dad, we ordered the crib and dresser Saturday night, so by next weekend I should be able to get started. I received gifts in the mail all last week from friends and family who were coming and even from some who couldn't make it. I also decided to order a bunch of the stuff left on our registry Saturday night and Sunday morning, so now I get to look forward to packages arriving all this week too. There are still some things left that I need to get, but I promised Ryan I won't spend any more money for a while (like maybe a week).

Opening presents with my helper, Brinlee (who doesn't look too happy...too many people watching I think)

Belly Bumps! Me (32 weeks) with Shayla (28 weeks...and so tiny still) and Melissa (ZERO weeks and holding!)

I was sad for the shower to come to an end, but had such a good time. It was so great to see and visit with so many friends and family--some of whom I had not seen in a very long time! Thank you to all who came and to all of you who were not able to make it, but still sent a gift or a kind message! I felt very loved and supported!