Cami's Baby Shower

The Invitation

Friday did not go at all the way I had planned/hoped. I meant to leave for Idaho by 3:30. I finally got on the road at 6:30. Some of that had to do with the several previous nights which were much lacking in sleep. Max has been very mommy-needy and when he wakes up in the middle of the night he just wants to be help while he sleeps. After trying unsuccessfully to put him to bed for an hour and a half I was losing it. Luckily James stepped in, sent me to bed and (annoyingly) managed to put Max to bed in a matter of minutes. I started packing Friday morning and thought I was doing good so went for a walk with James and Max. I was feeling exhausted and just did not know how I was going to make the 3 1/2 hour drive. So when Max went down for (a very late) nap I lay down as well. I am typically unable to take naps but this time I slept for a badly needed two hours. The only down-side to that was that it put me even farther behind. I d ebated whether to still go, but decided it was best.

After I got over the initial frustration of leaving so late the drive wasn't bad. A friend lent me a portable DVD player so I was able to keep Max entertained with Monsters Inc and I listened to the new Michael Wilcox audiotape. Going through some of the pass in the raining weather was a bit nerve racking for me so I took it slow and we finally arrived in Twin Falls at 10:00. Max was initally pret ty upset at being somewhere other than home. He calmed down once we put Monsters Inc on and I gave him some time to wind down. I was hoping to put him to bed and then visit with Mom and Cami and see Cami's house and baby stuff. That, however, was not what happened.

Four hours later (2:00 am) he finally went to sleep. I had my shoes on and our things in hand ready to leave; to just drive or to go to a hotel or maybe a store to find something to drug my child with. I'm not really sure. I just couldn't stay in that room anymore trying to keep him quiet while th e rest of the household slept. I made a bottle to take with me and Max seemed very interested. I couldn't believe that he would want yet another bottle but I gave it to him and felt that beyond-relief feeling when he fell asleep. I walked outside for a bit to breathe and was feeling that the whole trip had gone wrong and didn't know how I was going to get throught the day. I said a quick prayer asking for a few hours of good sleep; I think I said something to the effect of six hours would be awesome but I would take four. Five hours later Max woke up. I decided I would take it and enjoy the day. How awesome it was when he went back to sleep and I got two more hours!

Mom, Kimber, Cami and I went to pick up the food for the shower, then went back to Cami's where Jessica had arrived and we had a good time preparing food, setting up and decorating.

Cami is doing a jungle theme for her nursery so I decorated with little animals. We had to keep Max off the tables as he saw all of his animal toys spread throughout the room. We had chicken salad croissants, a fruit bowl and mini eclairs. Cami introduced us all to each other and then we had a bit to eat and then BABY BUNCO! It was the only thing Cami specifically wanted for her shower and she has fun friends who really got into it. In fact by they time they left several of them had plans for future Bunco nights.

A very cool part of the shower was connecting with Kells through the webcam and having her there to visit, play Bunco and watch as the gifts were opened.

After all the guests left we cleaned up a bit and then sat around chatting.
(Jessica is there taking the pictures.)

Ben arrived home just in time for all the cleanup. He had help from my exhausted little man.

The shower was a ton of fun and I am so glad that we could do it for Cami.
Congratulations & Good Luck CamiSue!