A Lovely Surprise

This afternoon I was surprised with a baby shower/bbq hosted by my friend, Torrie. I knew there was a bbq happening, we were invited, after all, but I thought that it was just a big get-together because Torrie wanted to host a party and our friends the Colasurdos were visiting from Utah. We walked into the backyard (I did notice that somehow we were the last to arrive even though we were right on time) and when everyone greeted us with a "Surprise!" I was kind of dumbfounded and my first thoughts were, "we don't have anything to celebrate, no birthdays in our family right now." Luckily someone yelled, "surprise baby shower," and then I understood why we were greeted with such enthusiasm. I'm sorry for my lackluster response to the surprise, I was quite stunned. I had been telling everyone that we don't need a baby shower, it is our 4th child and we do have clothes for each gender, and this baby is one of many being born in our ward right now and those other babies are not 4th babies, they are first and I wanted them to get the presents. I had no idea that this gathering was going to be for our baby.


It was a perfect event to welcome this baby to our family and I'm so grateful for the dear friends who came and celebrated with us. It was such a fun time, kids running all over and playing, lots of yummy food and great company. Torrie made the cutest cakes, shaped like beehives, because I'll be "busy as a bee." She even found little sugar bees to decorate the cakes.


The nicest surprise was that in lieu of gifts, everyone donated money to my chair fund. I've wanted to get a nice, new chair and ottoman to have in my room so I can have a lovely little spot to hold and nurse the baby. I almost bought a recliner from the DI last week (it was in nice enough condition and didn't smell bad) but Eric wasn't with us and I didn't want to come back later to get it. It made me cry to open the card and see what they intended the money to be for, such thoughtful friends, making sure I have the peaceful spot that I've been dreaming up for this child.


Speaking of the child, we did get the crib set up yesterday. I cleaned and organized Laine's room so that everything fits nicely. I made the area under her bed look like a little house by hanging a light from under the bed (she has a loft bed that Eric made) and putting the rug there also so it seems like a little room. We are going to borrow a bassinet so the baby will sleep in our room for a few months but I'm sure there will be some naps in Laine's room as well.


Also, I'm scheduled to be induced on the 9th of August. There it is, birthday decided. The main reason for the induction is that this time around I have strep B and in order to get the antibiotics in time to lessen the chance of passing something terrible along to the baby I need to have a scheduled birth. Laine and Cannon were both delivered within 30 minutes of arriving at the hospital and so another birth like that wouldn't give me enough time of having the anitibiotics in my system. I remember with Cannon when we were checking in and the lady was asking me about what jewelry I was wearing and I was leaning on the desk, head in arm and telling Eric, I need to push. At least we didn't have the baby in the car on the way. So being induced will lessen the chance of a roadside birth, which Eric is very thankful for since he doesn't even like to cut the umbilical cord. Also, my Dr. will be out of town until just before my due date. Laine came a week and a half early but Cannon was right on time. And even though it seems like the Dr. doesn't do that much it will be nice to have someone familiar and that we know we can trust as the one to ease the baby into this life.


My immediate thoughts about being induced were great happiness and relief. Just to know that I wouldn't have to endure the last weeks of pregnancy was such a pleasing thought. But then I started to worry about the pain. Ridge was induced (for reasons of his own) and that was a very painful experience. Not that birthing Cannon and Laine wasn't painful but the majority of the pain was in such a concentrated period of time that it was managable. With Ridge my body wasn't quite ready to go into labor and the dose of pitocin that they gave me just put me into a lot of pain really fast. Of course I had an epidural with him. But now I'm ready to face the pain, and my body seems to be getting ready to have this baby so I'm sure that even with being induced it will take a more natural course and I'll be able to avoid the pitocin and an epidural though I'm sure I won't be good company for Eric for a few hours, but he understands.


So thank you again, Torrie, and everyone else who came. It was such a lovely surprise.