Once upon a time I lived in Connecticut. That's where I spent the bulk of my school years and the majority of my twenties. It's where I met my husband, and forged some of my longest lasting friendships. Though we love a great number of people in Connecticut, we kissed it goodbye a little over three years ago. Missing our friends and family is sometimes tough, but life has been good to us here in Texas.
Every year or so we make the trek back up North to visit. I don't actually have much family left in Connecticut (most of my folks are either here in Austin now or in Maine and New York) but the Leonard clan grows bigger every year. In addition to Scott's massive family, we also look forward to seeing our friends and all of their kids.
Scott's Mom and sisters decided to throw me a baby shower while I was visiting in Connecticut. We ended up with quite the turnout. Scott and I are incredibly grateful for having such a great network of family and friends. It's a real blessing.
The shower was held at Nick's, a local Italian restaurant, and a Leonard family favorite in Danbury, CT. After stuffing ourselves with the best baked ziti ever, we got down to the business of games and gifts. What a haul! We were gifted with some very handy gear, plenty of cute baby books, fuzzy blankets, tiny booties, and all kinds of amazing handmade gifts.
This pretty blanket, soft ball, and burp cloths were all handmade by Rosemary, Scott's sister's mother-in-law. Rosemary is a pretty crafty lady! She also helped decorate for our wedding back in 2009.
Get a load of this adorable crocheted sweater and hat combo. I love the retro vibe, and the tiny buttons are too much. These are from my childhood buddy, Lauren. Elizabeth made me this sweet little rainbow colored bib. I have a feeling it may eventually double as a superhero cape.
My bestie, Michelle, made this super-cute stuffed giraffe. Babies love tags, so this one is sure to be a hit. She also made a really cute play mat and bib. The apple print will be perfect for my little baby foodie.
The most sentimental handmade gift would have to be this tiny baby blanket from my friend Julie. She knit this from scraps of yarn that have been swapped over the years by my beloved Scissor Squad girls. I was part of that craft group in CT for years, and the ladies involved became some of my very best friends. Of all the things I miss from Connecticut, seeing their faces every week is way up there.
We also went home with a ton of second-hand clothes. These were passed down from Scott's sisters, along with some more baby gear and a few choice maternity clothes. After sorting it all out, I've come to the conclusion that we are pretty much set on onesies and basics for the first three months. Not too shabby!