Baby Shower!

I have always wondered about the meaning of the word "shower" in this context and researched, hoping to find some Norse legend or Greek tradition that explains where the term "shower" originated. What I learned is that the term "shower" is used because the mothers are "showered" with gifts. Boring explanation, I know. Disappointed by my boring research efforts, I then began to research child birth and baby showers in my mother's native, Laos. I'm not sure if these traditions are for urban or rural Laos, but apparently, in Laos, they tie a rope to the thatched roofs and build a nest underneath. As the mom goes through the child birth process, she pulls herself up the rope and kneels over the nest. Then the baby would drop into the nest, like a baby bird. The baby would be named by the mother and father and given a nickname, usually something animal-related. I don't know many Lao words for animals. Mew means cat. Ema means dog. Gai means chicken. I wonder what the Lao word for squirrel is. In my research, I also learned that giving presents to an unborn baby is apparently taboo. Ooops, but I know my mom would have bought me gifts anyway, despite tradition. As a side note, in my searching, I found an interesting blog by a woman teaching English in Laos. I need to go through it more.

But I digress (which I do a lot)...... Our baby shower was thrown by the wonderful, Jenny (mentioned several times in this blog) on June 9th. I had been fantasizing about the baby shower for such a long time, so Jenny had to live up to some huge expectations. No, actually, I was happy to have the baby shower, any shower. If it was just me, another person, and a can of bean dip, I still would have been happy. Jenny threw a lovely little shower, attended by work folks, as my other friends and family are scattered across the United States. We had yummy little munchies, including owl and squirrel/bear cupcakes. We played cute little games and I managed to come the closest to guessing the amount of diapers in the cute diaper cake (which unfortunately, I disassembled before I could take a picture). I wish that so many others could have been there with us, but I know you were there in spirit. If your spirits were busy, here are some pictures:

Owl cupcakes!

Presents, of course. "Awwwww"..... was frequently used.

Also in attendance, future playmates Silas and George.

I returned home with a car full of baby booty and unloaded it into the nursery. I waited for Craig to come home before I excitedly put things away. Craig was surprised and humbled by the generosity from our friends. He referred to it as "baby Christmas" and asked, "This is like the baby shower you always wanted, isn't it?" Yes, yes, this was like the baby shower I've always wanted. But the baby shower was never about the presents. Don't misunderstand. The presents are nice and definitely helpful. I am very thankful for the presents. However, the baby shower was important for an entirely different reason. The past 11 years, I have been the bearer of bad news over and over again. I have complained that I was tired of pity and feared subjecting my friends to compassion fatigue. The baby shower was a time to finally celebrate. No pity. No bad news. No sorries. No tears. Just pure happiness. Untainted celebration. I must say, I much prefer the celebration over the bad news.

Baby Sera is due any day now. As of this week, our birth mother will be 40 weeks. I assume she is about to pop soon. She goes to the doctor this week and they will measure her dilation, which will hopefully predict how long it will be. Honestly, I think we will finally get to meet Sera within a week and that is an amazing (yet terrifying) feeling. I occasionally shout, "We're having a baby!" and find my heart getting a-flutter when I see babies on television.

Our household is a bit pressured now, as I try to tie up loose ends at work before I leave. Craig is preparing the house to look presentable and clean and taking care of other family matters. I am quickly becoming impatient. I want our daughter now. I don't want to wait. I told Craig, "I'm impatient. I want to hold her now." He then suggested I fly to PA and "squeeze her out." No, I'm not that impatient. I know she'll be here when she's ready, which could be any moment now.