Phew....

Ducks, pregnant women, baby clothes, games, blue punch..what a Saturday! This is the hat that I made on the way to the shower. It's angora that I got after Christmas, done on size five needles. I checked my gauge on the bootees, then did the medium hat to get a newborn size. If I'd had a darning needle the hat would have been done on our arrival. I am eternally grateful to my husband. Knitting all the way up was wonderful because I did not have to think about anything showery. Love the Last-Minute Knitted Gifts book. Very handy book to have around for...uhh...last minute knitted gifts.
Now, about the duck - after our disaster of Friday, I hestitated to decorate. BJ's Wholesale Club cakes were sounding pretty good. I re-baked the sheet cake, then mixed the frosting. First I frosted the base cake (this is going to be a VERY exciting post, folks). Then I spent 30 minutes trying to smooth the icing perfectly, becoming grumpier and grumpier with every attempt, until Girl threatened to take away my smoothing blade. "But it's not peeerrrfffeeect...." I whined. Next, we moved onto the placing of the duck - this is dicey. If placed to far to one side or the other, or too far front or back, there would be room to write something, like "Congratulations" or "Welcome Baby", or (my fave) ">SUCKAAHHHHS!!!!!!!!!" and the last thing I want to do is write on a cake. I assembled my toys for the next level of cake insanity. Icing bag...tips.. and the...the...where's my small coupler??? A coupler is a pretty important gadget in the world of cake decorating. Think of is as equal to... the metal gauge measure thingy. You can forge ahead without it, but you'll wish you hadn't. I searched high and low, and then I did what every big grown girl does when disaster strikes twice in one day. I called my mommy. Twenty minutes later my son (who lives with my mother, he's 19 and trying to be 'independent') arrived at my doorstep with my mother's cake decorating kit. In the end, our duckie emerged, complete with fondant baby bonnet. Some icing to make a ruffle and a bow, and he's done. He was a hit, being adorable and having under him a not too shabby french vanilla cake. Anyway - the mother-to-be was 35 minutes late...we're probably lucky she came at all, as she was nervous as a cat about being the center of attention. Games were played, prizes given. Gifts were opened - all those tiny baby things that make you go "AWWWWW......" Well, they used to make me go "awwww...", now I sit back, smirk and go "Ahhaah!!!!!!!" and gaze lovingly on my soon to be 18 year old youngest child with the smug satisfaction of a race well run, knowing you're in the home stretch, glancing back and seeing nothing (like an additional bundle of questionable joy) coming up from behind to ruin your planned freedom.
I forgot that Saturday was my birthday (39). Would not have remembered but then my son called in the morning, and to warn me that my mother would be calling to wish me happy birthday (this is the way of the young male - "Uhh. An angry little bat just told me that today's your birthday. I thought I'd warn you that she's going to call...") I thanked him. I love boys. They're so...weird. I forgot again, till I got to K's house to set up for the shower - there was a bouquet of flowers from her with a Happy Birthday note. Then my husband came to fetch me from the shower saying we had reservations for my fave place...EXCELLENT dinner, slow waitress but good margarita...then home, and cribbage (which I lost, but considering my gifts I really did not care) and a glass of wine and let me tell you...on Saturday night it was good to be me:PARFAIT LADY B BAG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Beloved Dear Daughter strikes again. This is her second home run in a year. Great thanks are due to the staff of Webs who managed to assist Girl in pulling this off, including, but not limited to Jenni who managed to disguise it SO well that when I loaded groceries into the car on top of it, I did not have a clue, Cirilia who I am told had plans for how to confuse me (which worked), and Pixie, who blew the surprise in the first place and then assisted in the big cover up. Christmas was my Elizabeth R DVD's, and then the bag, my bag, my bag!!! DH also had a home run with A History of Britain on DVD, which I started yesterday and love. The wine and flowers are from K. The wine is a nice pinot grigio with a floral taste and an apple finish. Really nice, and I am not a fan of sweet wine, I prefer dry, smoky things. This is a good wine.Today (Monday) we had our exciting Birthplace Tour. It was very odd to walk around and think things like "C was born in that room, and E also I think..." and "D was born there and M there, and T was born in this room...." All these births are greater than ten years ago, yet nothing has changed - or it has, but not in essentials. Can't wait. We're getting close, March 18th is the due date. And the woman who I thought would never adjust to the idea of diapers and baby spit up now dreams, every night, of holding a soft wrapped bundle and rubbing it's back. It's amazing what impending motherhood does to you. This is a little hopeful v neck cardigan in Kiss, pink #3, because I want a girl. I will be happy either way, but if I had a vote, I'd vote girl. If she's not a she, some other small female will be wearing a cute little pink vareigated cardigan this fall!