I've been had...

Good luck following this story but here it goes...

A few months ago Sandy, Adam and I were figuring out when we would come up in September and it was suggested that we come up the weekend of the 14th - 16th so Sandy could throw Joe a surprise party on Sunday for his birthday (which incidentally is actually today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!)

So for the past month or so I have been trying not to say anything to Joe when I am around him because I don't want to spoil the surprise for Joe.

Finally the weekend is here and we are in H-town helping Sandy get ready for the party. She all over the place trying to make sure everything comes out right... making food, getting the house clean, trying not to spill the beans in front of Joe... who BTW, is oblivious to all the cooking, cleaning and chaos surrounding him. Adam and I get sent on several grocery store trips because things have been forgotten and we are both trying to help clean up wherever we can.

Sunday finally arrives and we go out to lunch for Joe's birthday, as we planned, around noon.

Debbie (Sandy's best friend) is coming over to set up for Joe's party while we are out of the house. So we do lunch, then work on stalling to go back to the house... it's only 1:30 and we aren't supposed to return until 3:15. We putz around shopping centers, in and out of stores... at one point I fell into Adam and told him I was tired of stalling, I just wanted to head back to the house. So finally the time comes and we head home. We haven't figured out a way to explain away the cars to Joe so we decided to just play dumb... as we pull up he is all "damn Sandy, I didn't want a party", "I can't believe you did this" and "you guys slipped up a few times"... we walk in the house and out to the back patio where there is not a party for Joe with the people I have been told will be there... instead there is a clothesline of baby clothes across the patio and an extremely high ratio of women.

Welcome to my surprise baby shower...

Sandy and Becky had orchestrated a baby shower for me up in Hagerstown and... along with everyone else... managed to keep me in the dark about it.

To say the least, this weekend was filled with hysterical antics... at the end of last week I started to suspect something and I kept quiet until Friday evening when I was chatting with Danielle (who is planning another baby shower for me ;~)... I told her I suspected something but she shut me down so quickly saying that everyone from Htown was coming to the baby shower and that she didn't want me walking around all weekend thinking that something was coming when it wasn't. Impressive on her feet thinking especially since I sprung that on her and she hasn't been feeling well lately... well played Danielle.

Once we got to Htown and the fam really played up the "surprise party for Joe" lie... I really started to feel silly for thinking that this was about me and totally bought back into the whole Joe's party idea. And everyone really played the part well... Sandy would take me up on offers to run to the grocery store, she rattled off names of those that were coming to the party.

Then with all the stress that Sandy was under planning this I made a comment to her about not being allowed to throw a surprise party again because its too stressful... I am sure she got a good laugh out of that. Come to find out... the stress was more from trying to keep what lie she was telling straight... pretending to lie to Joe when he really knew and always lying to me about whatever was going on... I can only imagine the insanity that brought on.

The baby shower was awesome... the weather was fantastic and it was really great to see so many friendly faces. I am trying not to post too many pictures but you all know me (and my photographer husband ;~) we have a ton of them... plus 2 videos of them actually surprising me... that might get posted later.

Aunt Becky stealing all the blue pacifier pins from anyone that said "baby" and then managing to not say it herself... she won the prize!

Grandma and I... she knit the most beautiful baby blue blanket... I can't wait to put that out in Peabert's room!

My wonderful husband who was on "dog duty' all day long... which was a task because boy was Riley confused about what was going on ;~)

Madyson and I posing for the camera... she was my big helper during the presents... picking out my next one and trashing all the paper for me... #1 helper for sure!

"What happens at Grandma's House, stays at Grandma's House" -

Peaberts "Jr. Lawyer" suit courtesy of Aunt Becky

LOVED the cake... everyone wanted to know the meaning behind Peabert ;~)

Riley can't be bothered with the baby shower... he is too busy soaking in the rays.

Heather, Gracie, Madyson and Cori

Debbie, Sandy's best friend and her daughter-in-law Sarah

Sandy and her good friend Therese

Trust me... I could have posted hundreds more pictures but I will spare you all... needless to say, it was an awesome party and I can't thank Sandy and Becky enough for throwing it for me. I had a wonderful time and was thoroughly surprised!