Shower

This past weekend on Saturday the 13th we had our first baby shower for Logan at my Mom's house...hosted by my Mom, sister, Dawn and sister-in-law, Melissa. Boy, did they do a phenomenal job. They planned...probably since as soon as they knew I was pregnant...and then went into full-plan mode after they found out I was having a boy. It was killing me because they kept a lot a secret and they seemed to always be getting together to discuss something or 'make' something for the shower. Oh and not to mention that in the meantime my Dad re-did part of the basement...including painting one wall 3 times until the color was just right. :) They all really knocked themselves out for us....we feel the love and are SUPER appreciative to them all...

The theme was 'all about boys'. The food table (which was a bunch of little 'grab foods') carried out the theme as well:

'Lily Pads' were cucumber sandwiches...'Logan's Lincoln Logs' were taquitos...'Slingshot Rocks' were Chicken Salad Puffs-coming out of a toy dump truck...'Chicken Little' were mini chicken panini sandwiches...'Fishing Pond' was a clear glass bowl filled with goldfish crackers...'Lightning Bug Punch' was a lemonade-ginger ale punch - served in little canning jars...'Digging in the Garden' was a spinach salad...served in a kids bucket with shovel utensils that you use at the beach...'Mud Pies' were little chocolate cups with chocolate pudding...And the list goes on....they had a lot of food....and each of them had a boy theme....so cute!

After we ate, the guests decorated some items for Logan while John & I opened gifts.  Items they decorated: Onesies or burpcloths or bibs or pants...for Logan. :)  Oh they all turned out so cute. Each item had an idea or timeframe on it...for example, if it was a 0-3 month onesie, they had options of Fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, winter. Some had specific ideas: Cubs, Sox, Bears...and yes, even Packers (since John's family is from WI they didn't want to neglect the 'other' football team). Some said 'Your Choice'.

My niece and nephews really took advantage of 'Your Choice'....and they did a great job! It is funny as Alexis really didn't think that the onesie should have any white space left on it...so she colored almost the entire thing! So cute!   The picture below is a ladybug-with blue sky & red arms.

TJ did quite an amazing painting on a burpcloth....a little boy looking down at some bugs. 

Michael wanted to be educational with some out of the ordinary animals...but did an awesome job at painting them....He did a Yeti -picture below - (on the onesie it says "Logan's Yedi") and wanted to introduce some Greek Methodology....so he painted a Basilisk. Where does he get this stuff? :) His imagination goes way beyond your typical dog or cat.

We received many, many wonderful gifts...some off the registry and some hand-knitted, some customized, some toys. We are so thankful to have so many people that love & care about us. 

My Aunt Wendy knitted Logan a beautiful blanket (hanging over the crib):

My best friend Abbey's Grandma knitted Logan this really cool snake:

Amongst the many incredibly awesome gifts we received, we also received some special gifts from my family:

From my parents...a picture to hang in Logan's room (they've done this for each of their grandchildren)....Logan's picture is of a little boy - with some toys scattered around him - sleeping on his large dog - the picture is of a shaggy dog - it is soooo cute. The picture is entitled the 'Guardian' and it is very much how I picture the relationship of Logan & Buddy.  My Mom was bummed because it was supposed to be delivered the day before the shower, but it is stuck in the mail somewhere and should arrive soon...I will post a picture as soon it arrives.

From my sister, Steven, TJ and Michael....we received Logan's Library...Dawn & Steve painted an open-top box with handles....brown, then put white polka dots all around, then in her pretty handwriting, wrote 'Logan's Library' in blue. SO CUTE! Then they filled it with all 'hard books' of their favorites. She also took paper mache block letters and painted them brown and decoupaged different things on each....and then stuck a little wooden item on each.... SO CUTE!  We will hang these letters above his crib.

From my sister-in-law and her fam....a stepping stone (we have done all the grandkids feet or hands in a stepping stone and they are proudly displayed in my parents' yard). She also made an incredibly awesome DVD. I had sent her all my pregnancy pictures...anything from the day we found out I was pregnant, all belly shots, painting Logan's room, assembling furniture and so on. She put all these pictures together and set it to music (Valentine by Martina McBride - this song was chosen as Logan was 'implanted' on Valentine's Day, so that day is extra special to us now). Well it was so thoughtful and amazing and many people ended the shower on a teary-eyed note, but in a sweet way. :) John and I will have this as a memory forever. Melissa has offered to add to it as the pregnancy continues (not too much longer)...and then to make another DVD of Logan's arrival (she did this for her kids and it is just such a perfect way to make the memory last forever).

So many thoughtful gifts that we will treasure forever. I can't wait for Logan to arrive so he can see just how blessed he is. :)

Guests 'swam home' (due to the storms Ike pushed up our direction) shortly after the decorating and gift opening.

My parents, Dawn and TJ & Michael came up to our house afterwards and helped put things away in the nursery...it was so much fun to do!

Dawn hung out in the closet...haha....

My Mom tested out some of Logan's new toys...

John put our Jeep stroller together and wheeled it around...

All in all....a FANTASTIC day and I thank my whole family for all the time and effort they put forth!