First, let me start by saying I love, love, love not working! Such a change from my first pregnancy (8 years and nine months ago) when I was working two jobs and with someone who thought it was reasonable to up and quit their job when the mother of his child was seven months pregnant. And not look for another one. For three months. Huge difference!

Secondly, I was very adamant about not wanting a baby shower. I told everyone we would throw a backyard BBQ after the babies were born, cost of entry would be one pack of diapers.

Let us go back in time to last Saturday. It was Ms. O's birthday, we had been planning for a couple of weeks to go for breakfast and then take her shopping for a new bike. We were out of the house by 8:30 after much dawdling by Mr. M (you are wiping the counters when you have a hungry pregnant woman standing here staring at you wondering if you have completely lost your mind?!). After breakfast, we went to the bike store and Ms. O picked out a very reasonably priced, logical bike (was not expecting that). The staff gave it the once over and outfitted her with a new helmet. By this time it is about 11am. Mr. M asks if I want to go to Sears and look at strollers and carseats.

This is where I should stop and explain how very unsuspicious of a nature I must possess. This is the man that will not go to the mall during the day, in the middle of the week for any reason and here he was suggesting we go to the mall, that even I avoid at all cost, on a Saturday! And I think nothing of it! I knew if we went that I would be coming home with a stroller and two carseats because I already had picked them out. I agree, we go to the mall, we purchase said items and leave with them in the back of the truck.

At this point I am spent. We were up at 7am and I have been hauling around my extra 40 pounds for 5 hours. We pull up to the house and I go inside. I say "It smells minty..." and then I see a table of presents, balloons and food set up and my sister's head poke around the corner of the dining room. All of the sudden, about twenty people emerge from the kitchen and the realization that I am getting a baby shower whether I like it or not hits me.

I was so shocked I couldn't say a word. The last week started flooding back to me - strange phone calls, wierd avoidances and dodged plans for Saturday. After the shock wore off, I realized this was going to be my kind of baby shower. All of our friends were there, there were two coolers of beer in the kitchen and half the people there were already getting their drink on. I also realized there are only two rolls of bath tissue in the house.

They insisted I get the presents over with so we could get the party started. I still can't believe the generosity of our friends. Mr. M had demanded I go register a couple of weeks ago because "his family kept bugging him about what to get us". Every big ticket item and most small things were purchased from the registry, as well as so many clothes and sleepers these girls will need to wear two outfits a day for the first three months. I really don't need to buy another thing before these babies come (not that it will stop me).

After the obligatory shower activities were over with, we all moved to the backyard, got the firepit going and it turned into a party. Everyone was gone by 9pm and I stayed up until midnight playing with all of my new stuff.

The biggest shout out goes to Ms. O who gave up her day to give me mine. She was happy riding her new bike around the cul-de-sac with her cousin and friends all day. She didn't even hint at being disappointed that her birthday was hijacked by the new babies.

At the end of the night, all I could think was how eternally grateful I was to whatever higher power gave me the extra push to actually shower and slap on some mascara that morning.