Showered

Look at that setup! Love it.

Dear Baby Girl,

If you ever are in need of some top tier party planning talent please call Lynn. She is one of my best friends in the area, and when she offered to throw me a baby shower it sounded like the best decision I could make. She did not disappoint.

The shower took place at Screwtop Wine Bar, which is your father and my local watering hole (incredibly local, as it is exactly one block from our house). While Arlington is notorious for its extremely high restaurant turnover (due to high rent and a difficult-to-please consumer base), I suspect that Screwtop will survive. It benefits from small square footage (i.e. less rent) and excellent food and wine. When Lynn suggested we have the shower there I was 100% on board. Though I could not partake in the wine, I was happy that my guests could sip my favorite variety: sparkling pink rosé, in honor of my Baby Girl.

Grandma Tracy teamed up with Lynn to co-host, and it was flawless execution. It was organized as a brunch, and the menu included cheese and charcuterie, pulled pork nachos, a couple of salads, quiche, sandwich platters, and ultimately Georgetown cupcakes (both my and Grandma Tracy’s favorite favorite… two favorites for emphasis). Lynn got crafty with the décor (some of which will end up in your bedroom), and the whole setting really looked picturesque and slightly comical as the backdrop for the baby shower was shelves on shelves of wine.

I loved every minute of it. It was an intimate party with my most nearest and dearest best friends in the area, your Aunt Joanne (who insanely decided to go round trip from Pittsburgh to DC and back in one day), Shelly (one of Dad’s longtime friends from high school), and a faction of our extended family from the Morris side who journeyed all the way from Maine to celebrate (Dad calls them the “Morri” which he supposes is plural for Morris). It was very touching to have all of these out-of-towners make the journey south in your honor, as you are the most special thing that has ever happened to me. The Morri stayed in town the whole weekend, and we gallivanted around the metro area, which was especially exciting as it was an inaugural trip to Washington for three of the five members of our crew (and I love playing tour guide to first-timers…more on their trip later).

The meal was a casual affair, and I opened gifts intermittently while everyone ate. I’m very grateful for everything you received—both from those that were able to attend and those that could not make it—everything was perfect.  Dad showed up at the end to say hello and help transport your newly acquired gear, and most everyone came over to the house afterward to see the renovations and have a second cupcake (I myself had two…and two more the next day… and I apologize to you for the sugar overload). One of the most exciting moments of the day was showing everyone the nursery. Grandpa Steve fully achieved the wow-factor with that one. And I have to call out Audrey specifically because she was here in this house ripping out mold in 2009, she lived here for about three years, and moved in even before I did (I am not kidding). Her reaction to the transformation was priceless. She just kind of sat in your room for a while and stared. Kind of like what I do every night. Like a crazy creepy person.

Again, I couldn’t have asked for a better day, and a special thanks goes out to Grandma Tracy and Lynn for making it happen. I will be calling Lynn for your first birthday party for sure as she serves as a party planner/decorator/florist triumvirate.

Love,

Mom

Top left and right: Momma and Grandma, waiting for you get here at 28 weeks.
Middle left: Momma and Audrey
Bottom Left: Momma and Lynn

Left: Dad and I, all smiles waiting for our girl.
Top right: Momma and Natalia, who graciously picked up the Georgetown cupcakes
and sadly left for a foreign service assignment in Afghanistan a week later.
We will be sure and facetime her though once you are born!
Bottom right: Momma and Aunt Joanne, who I am SO happy made it for the shower even though
I think she is insane for doing the drive same-day!

All the Morri!
Top, from the left: Casie, Tricia, Joanne, Emily and Woodrow, Grandma Tracy and Momma!
It was hard to get a good picture of all seven of us, but I like this one because Woodrow is smiling.
You two are sure to be buddies.
Bottom right: Cousins! Emily, Casie, and Momma