Baby Shower - What's A Guy To Do?

Over the weekend my wife had her baby shower.  Her shower? So I thought. Perhaps I've been watching too much Mad Men, but for some reason I hadn't planned on being involved. I figured I would be on the golf course or at a card game smoking a cigar, although I don't do either so that would be weird. In any event I had not planned on partaking. I would be on my own, tucked away in the basement hiding out with the dogs watching football, or something like that.



Saturday morning arrived and the fun began. I took the dogs for a run, raked the leaves in the yard, and stopped just short of untangling the hose before I set out on last minute errands before our guests arrived. My mother in law and her sister worked fastidiously, cleaning the house and preparing food for the guests. My wife's best friend took care of everything else.  And there was a whole lot of everything else.

 



My reading list...

 By the time I arrived home from my excuse to be out of the house errands, things were coming together quite nicely. Our living room had been transformed into a bookstore/gala event complete with stuffed animals, party favors, pictures, and...are those meatballs? Trays of food were sitting out as a buffet had been set out in my absence.  Fruit kabobs, cookies, bacon wrapped pineapple, ham biscuits, taco dip, muffins, cupcakes, and candy. Lots and lots of candy. I quickly found myself thinking, this isn't so bad...

Nevertheless, my Uncle and my cousin's husband headed downstairs to the bunker. I had the beer on ice and college football on the television, we were all set. But the moms upstairs must have had a different idea. The basement door opened and the sounds of little footsteps could be heard bouncing down the stairs. We were joined by a friend's five year old son, and then a three year old, and then another one.  I quickly noticed we were in the midst of daddy day care chaos. Now I don't know what 37 year old male doesn't have a skateboard, football, and inflatable punch dummy in his basement, but let me tell you, it all came in handy.  We played with the kids, watched some football, and quickly forgot about the beer, we had been suckered into working.

I made multiple trips upstairs, for cookies, punch, parents, and bathroom trips to wash grubby little hands that became sticky from holding those cookies and spilling punch.  A few times I ran up just to sneak a peek at the lifetime movie scene that was unfolding in my living room, and I quickly realized that our house was no longer our own. We now officially have a kid house. In just one day our home was furnished with toys, stuffed animals, kid books, colorful bath toys and clothes, lots of clothes. Simon will be one lucky boy.

As the smoke cleared and our guest began to head out, we looked at the array of gifts spread out on our floor. My wife's best friend stayed behind, and with the help of my mother-in-law and aunt-in-law we began the task of cleaning the house. They were lifesavers.

I would like to thank everyone involved for the gracious gifts and support. We are truly blessed to have such loving family and friends and we are forever grateful for each and every one of you. Now if you will excuse me, I have to attend to this cooler full of beer.