Birthday Dinner and Presents

On Friday night, Dad took all of his married kids out to dinner at ABC Mandarin. We love that place. We even found a new favorite: sweet and pungent shrimp. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

When Timothy and I arrived, Mom and Dad were there with . . . surprise . . . Aunt Marla and her new hubby Craig. I had no idea they eloped that weekend. They were both in a newlywed high, and it was so much fun to see them together and see Aunt Marla so happy. Welcome to the family again, Uncle Craig!

Everyone else (Lindsay Ann and Wyatt, Lindsay and Sterling, Megan--without Jared, Amy, Kami and Leo) arrived shortly thereafter.

It was one of those great nights where everyone was in a happy mood and witty remarks were flying. Timothy was harassed about being married to me--oh, how does he manage??--and he said, "Everyone has ways to cope." Hee hee. I can't remember all the funny things people said, but we all had a great time. Plus, Mom brought a choco cake with choco icing. I don't understand why her chocolate cakes are so much better than mine (I'm a good cook I tell you!!) but she makes the best chocolate cakes on the planet. It was heavenly.

Then, the evening ended with gifts. My sisters surprised me with a gift basket for Baby Girl. I was so touched because, obviously, I've had a few girls now so they didn't need to give me anything. They just did because they love me. Since I haven't bought anything for the baby (spent all my money on her quilt and curtains), I was extra excited that she'll have some new things just for her. I don't want her getting a complex :).

Hands down, my favorite outfit in the basket was this orange velour jumpsuit. I would TOTALLY wear it if it was my size. I wanted a picture of it next to my 70s goldenrod walls. It seemed appropriate. I can't wait to put Baby in this sweet outfit.

These pajamas are for when she's a little older. Isn't the elephant so sweet!?

Notice the ballerina mouse (Angelina?) has an orange skirt. Love it!

Uh, Cowen grabbed the camera.

She's a spaz.

My other favorite items. How can you not love a pink/orange combo!!? Love, love, love it.

Amy said the print was too 70s to pass up. She knows me well.

Mom also brought me a present--two receiving blankets. Again, I didn't make Baby any, so I was so glad Mom did. I love the print on the purple one and lime is, well, lime. Perfection.

The biggest surprise of the night, however, was not Aunt Marla's marriage or even the presents from my sisters. No, the biggest surprise was the present from my brother Wyatt.

Behold, the beauty of the frog pants.

I still can't believe he gave them to me. My cup runneth over.

The story of the frog pants has a beginning somewhat shrouded in mystery. I don't know how or why they came into being, but I first became aware of their existence when Wyatt stole them from his best friend, Will, in North Dakota.

When I was pregnant with Miriam, my water broke at my mom's house in Utah while I was making a cake. Wyatt was working that summer in North Dakota, so he wasn't there to protest when Amy found and stole the frog pants for me to change into. Then, just to bug Wyatt, everyone at the house (Kayli, Lindsay, Amy, etc.) found something of Wyatt's to put on. Then we took a picture of all of us wearing his clothes and mailed it to him. Hilarious. We thought, anyway. I wish my scanner worked so I could post the picture.

Anyway, after I had Miriam I decided that Wyatt's frog pants were the perfect pants to wear to recover from childbirth. I wore them every day for a month after she was born.

Eventually, I returned them to Wyatt.

But I really wanted them again after I had Cowen. When Wyatt wasn't around, I snuck them out of his house. So after Cowen was born, I again recuperated in the frog pants.

Then Lindsay Ann had Hailey and she too decided the frog pants were perfect for recovering from childbirth. It was that conviction that allowed me to convince her to sneak the pants to me (because Wyatt had adamantly refused to let me have them) when I delivered Emeline and Eli. In the meantime, Lindsay Ann had worn them when she had Cassidy.

These pants have some serious postpartum history.

And now--as my fifth delivery looms, I have the comfort of knowing the frog pants will be there with me.

All because of Wyatt. Hey Wyatt--you're the man.