Showered in Milwaukee

Finally, as promised some pictures from the Communist Chinese New Year themed shower. I was having to figure out how to use our new camera so I was a little slow and these pictures were me experimenting with the features of the camera. And I took them so I'm not in them.

Here is a picture of the wishing cake, a family tradition but new to baby shower activities--it may be my favorite part of the shower. All these women each chose a candle and wished upon it for our baby. All very beautiful things health, laughter, adventure, the love of a large family...I hope they all come true.

And this is the year of the pig--a lucky year to be born in-- so as you see in the picture there is a piggy bank featured and you can't make it out in the glow of the candles but the cake is also topped with tiny candy pigs.

Here is Murph opening a couple of things. This is a baby blanket that was knitted by his Nannie (grandma Fortune) when he was a baby. It is still beautiful and amazingly crafted. And white, very white.

Here's also a picture of me opening some of the many baby gifts. These are some baby socks that look like little puma sneakers. I have to say this was a very solid start to the baby gear we'll be needing soon. We now have a stroller, a crib (and mattress), a glider rocker, a high chair, a Bjorn (a Park Slope parent must).

There's still not much of a belly at this point. But since then the baby has had some growth spurts and I am finally looking pregnant.

Next me in this picture is great-grandma Murphy (soon to be for the first time). Apparently she has a gift for accuracy when predicting the sex of the baby and she says it is a boy. We'll find out if she is right on Monday.

Other than that everything seems to be going very well. I'm feeling good. The baby is moving a lot. On Thursday I had a check up with the midwife and the heartbeat was really strong--no hunting around for it this time.