Showered

Last week, on my way home from backupuncture, I stopped in to visit my dear friend Heather and her kids. I do this often on the way home from my appointments, since she and I live in different cities. If I am there, I stop in.

One of the things I enjoy most about visiting them is the happy dance I am greeted with when Miss Isabella answers the door. In fact, one of my favourite things in life is the 4-year-old happy dance, hopping up and down and hollering that Auntie is here. Very few things in life make me as happy as a 4-year-old who is hopping up and down in happiness to see me.

But there was more in store for me when I arrived. Once the happy dance was done, Heather came in and took me into the kitchen to announce that this was my baby shower! There were balloons, and a cake (freshly decorated by Heather and Isabella), and presents. I was thrilled.

Now, I am not a person who a) has a lot of friends, and 2) does well as the centre of the attentions of strangers. I do okay with family events, and I used to be a teacher and a trainer so I don’t mind speaking in front of groups on a professional level one tiny bit. But I loathe surprise parties, parties thrown for me and consisting of mostly acquaintances, and corporate functions where you are being celebrated on your birthday/wedding/whatever, not because people like you, but because it is the Thing To Do and people just want an excuse to not work for an hour. I came most recently from a dysfunctional work environment where you were expected to participate in any and all events of a social nature, and bring food in for the company for the slightest occasion. It was a nightmare. Heather was there with me for 5 years, so she knows me well in this respect.

So imagine my delight to find my shower consisted of me, Heather, a 4-year-old and a barely crawling baby! It was AWESOME.

I was absolutely thrilled.

But even though we were few in number, there were still the shower festivities. There were games — balloon volleyball between myself and Isabella — and food (the aforementioned and frankly scrumptious chocolate cake, and the Little Man had a tasty bottle). And, despite the extraordinary generosity Heather (and her sister) has already shown by literally giving me tons of clothes and baby stuff, there were also presents! I got a self-feeder kit for my soon-to-be-teething daughter, and some CDs of kids’ music, and storybooks (Isabella’s favourite) and Little People. And giraffes — TWO giraffes.

It was about as perfect a shower as I could imagine. I’ve been on a high for days.

So thanks Heather and kids! Some people will take any excuse for a party.