Mass. Baby Shower!!

Its Sunday night, and we just got back from a weekend in Massachusetts where my mom and sister threw Amanda a baby shower. That makes two showers for Ms. Sally Piles and the bean, and needless to say, people have been OVERLY generous to us. We got to see some family we havent gotten to see for some time, and even some of my hometown friends showed up to the affair. Below is a picture of a radiant Amanda and my high school friend Danielle. Danielle was my first "date" when I was a freshman and I asked her to the "dinner dance." Also interesting was how, two years ago, I married her and her husband Ed--in Mass. you can apply for a "weekend permit" to be a Justice of the Peace . . .I had to get all kinds of letters of recommendation attesting to my character, and they did a background check on me. Obviously they didnt read the letters or the background check, since they let me do it. Wah wah wah . . .
Auntie KK and Uncle Twon have been amazing in the way they did lots of cool stuff for the shower (they invented these chocolate covered marshmallow stick candies called "Chelsea's Chocolates) and in the way they have already spoiled their unborn nephew rotten with clothes, books, and other interesting stuff. Below, Ortiz gives Twon the "birds and the bees" talk.
So do we have a lot of stuff? We have taken the gifts from Amanda's two showers and just put them in the downstairs guest room (Thomas's room) so we can "move in" fresh to the baby's room this week. There is more stuff on the other side of the room, not to mention all of his books have been moved upstairs already, and his stroller and car seat are out in the breezeway . . .
On the invitation to the shower, my mom and sister wrote a poem about how the wife and I love books so much, and they invited each guest to bring their favorite childhood book to be put in a special basket on the fireplace. So, we ended up with A LOT of wonderful books. These are the things I get truly excited about! Below is another picture of his growing library collection. There are more books that arent on that shelf. Check out the cool "train" bookends KK and Twon gave the bean . . . .they are made by a company called "Montgomery Trains" in Vermont, and they are all handmade from solid maple. They have a plan to, each year, give the little boy another "piece" of the train . . .in addition to being beautiful and functional, they are also collector's items.
Daddy-to-be even got a special gift from the bean . . .he knows me so well already!! I got the complete first season of THE SMURFS, which, if you know me at all, you know is my all time favorite cartoon. I used to watch them with my dad on Saturday mornings, and I am sure I will start to watch them with the little guy when he is old enough to appreciate the best that animation has to offer. Thanks Bean!! What a great gift! P.S. Check out the Favry blog for more pics and info on this weekend's shower!