Showered with love

Motherhood, of course, comes with many blessings. One of the unsung yet most precious to me has been the friendships I have made with other mothers and their children. I have met some wonderful women over the past three and a half years. It has been such an unexpected gift to be able to raise my child with theirs. They have taught me so much, supported me through so much, and brought me so much joy.

In a world where families are so often thrown to the four winds, my friends provide much of the vaunted village that it takes to raise my child on an everyday basis. They are my surrogate sisters and Jack's surrogate aunties. Their children are his playmates, his models, his foils, and his family. He has learned so much from them and has so much fun with them. One of the reasons that I knew that Jack might benefit from some early intervention is because we've been around so many kids all his life, and I could see that something was a little different about him. He has been so much better these last several months. I truly believe that our friends have saved him years - if not a lifetime - of difficulty, because I would never have known to pursue any treatment at all if it hadn't been for them.

Yesterday, my wonderful mommy friends came together to shower me and baby Violet with love. The beautiful and amazing Danielle, along with her tireless helpers, put together a gorgeous shower that left this decidedly uncrafty mama in awe. All the decorations and favors were handmade, and all the food was homemade, including the delicious cake filled with whipped cream and strawberries made by the hostess with the mostest herself.

I can't believe I know such talented people. I received so many handmade gifts that I will treasure always. I'm hoping that Violet will be crafty by osmosis, because she sure won't be inheriting that gene from me.

Everyone has been so generous. Over the past several months, I've been receiving bags, boxes, and bins of hand-me-downs from mamas who already have girls. Yesterday we got even more clothes, along with some baby essentials that I'd forgotten I needed the first time around. Little girl clothes really are achingly adorable, but even so, I'm not a big shopper. Thanks to my friends, it is no exaggeration to say that I won't have to buy a single stitch of clothing for baby girl for at least her first two years, even if I changed her several times a day. She already has more clothes than Jack has had his entire life, and she hasn't even been born yet!

Yesterday was such a special day for me. I felt so spoiled, and I will always cherish the feeling of knowing how loved my little girl already is. Thank you, everyone! I love you so much. I can't wait to share Jack's journey as a big brother and my journey as a mom of more than one with you. Most of all, I can't wait for you all to meet little Violet.