Yes, I’m back from my trip out to visit my family. Not only am I back home, but I’m back to work. On a Holiday. Plus, I’ve got two days of missed work to catch up on. And a post to write about the good times. Oh, and it’s lunch time-so I’m hungry. But as you all know, it’s raining. So I don’t want to go outside to get any lunch. Do you blame me?

I know you are all anxious to hear about the trip. Guess what? It was lovely. Lovely, as in, my folks spoiled me, my sister took all the days off work and hung out with me, I got to meet the first grandbaby born into my family (she’s perfect, by the way), and yes, my baby shower rocked.

This trip was so different from trips out there in the past. I think I know what’s changed. My parents became Grandparents a few months ago, and they like it. They really like it. I have their second grandbaby in my belly, and they want to treat me well, because they know I hold all rights to him. I had the power, and I could feel it.

My Mom showed me all the baby blankets she’s been working on, as well as taking me to the fabric store to pick out whatever fabric I wanted for another blanket. Then she taught me how to crochet the edges of little fleece blankets.

On Friday, we all met my Dad for lunch, where he snuggled with baby Emma and hardly paid any attention to the rest of us, except to pay for all of our lunches (which he mostly never does).

After lunch, the girls all met at my folks house to hang out and make cinnamon rolls. All the while my Mom held baby Emma (are you sensing a pattern here?). I gave my younger sister a manicure and begged her to paint my toenails. She refused. My Mom got the foot massager out and I enjoyed that for about an hour. It was very yummy. My feet were very thankful for it. My Mom even got on the floor and painted my nails a bright red. Oh they look and feel so good.

My Grandma drove up Friday night from her house, which is about an hour and a half away. She was coming up for the shower on Saturday and decided to come a little early to hang out with me. It was so great to spend some time talking with her. I don’t see my Grandma very often, so it was extra special. She is such a good lady with such a great heart.

Friday night we got a call from one of the aunts that I specifically didn’t want at the shower. Not that I don’t like her. Because I do. It’s just that I don’t know her very well, and haven’t really ever spent time with her. She was wondering what time the shower was at the next day. When I questioned my Mom about this, she came clean and admitted that she had included a “save the date” note in her Christmas cards. She had never told me this. If I would have know this from the start, I would have sent them all invitations. Now I just look very tacky and mean. My Mom gave her all the information and she said she would drive down on Saturday (she lives about 3 hours away). Phew.

Saturday was the baby shower. And I was so excited for it. Not only for the fun gifts for my little guy, but to see all of my girlfriends. We arrived a little early to set up the quilt frames. My Mom had decided that we would make the baby a quilt at the shower. It has little puppies on one side and gingham on the other side. Have I told you how much I love gingham, because I do.

Get this. NONE of the people showed up for the shower that my Mom had wanted and that I hadn’t wanted to invite. Not one of them. Which I think makes me look even smaller and more selfish. My Mom said something like “none of them showed up, after all of that!”. Which I think was a lesson for me. From now on I will try to be more gracious and not such a brat. (But please don’t hold me to that!)

My sister in law, Mary, made the cutest little cupcakes for the shower. Before she had her sweet little baby, she was the bakery manager at that place that sounds a lot like Bal-Nart. She’s an expert at making beautiful wedding cakes and the like. Not only were the cupcakes so cute, they were delicious. I was still enjoying them on Sunday, when my younger brother noted, “I think you have a little icing on your nose!”. Not sure how long that had been there!

All of the people at the shower were so thoughtful and good to me and the little guy. I received some wonderful items. Mostly handmade things like afghans and blankets. My friend Marci even made me a scrapbook for his first year. All I have to do is put the pictures in. My Mom had clearly been working on the gifts for months. She gave me a ton of hand made burp rags and blankets and even a hooded towels for bathtime. She also bought him the cutest little sheriff outfit and some adorable little boots. As well as some cute little books that my Dad picked out on his very own. My sister picked out some books about kitties, so that the baby and Preston will be sure to get along. See, all good stuff! So much stuff that I had to put it in a huge duffel bag to get it all home (a duffel bag that weighed 30 pounds!) Note that in this picture I am sitting next to my friend who is pregnant with her fifth baby. She’s about as far along as I am. Don’t we look great all beached out on the couch?

They all worked on the quilt and finished it before it was time to eat. Look how cute it turned out. My Grandma took it home with her and she’s going to finish the edges and send it out to me in a few weeks. My Mom gave me a little flannel blanket and burp rag to match it. Oh my gosh, I love it so much.

Here is a picture of me with all of the ladies in my family, my Mom and Grandma, as well as my younger sister, my sister in law and my sweet new niece Emma.

I was so happy to be there with them all. Even though I missed The King and Preston so intensely. The King admitted that they don’t do so well with me gone. He said he wasn’t even motivated to eat anything. When I got home last night, the three of us sat on the couch together and read the new books for the baby. It’s good to be back at my own home in my own bed.

But I already miss my family.