Baby-Making

Don't you just wish this post was a play-by-play of how Jesse and I made our baby? I must dash your skeevy little hopes of a true romance essay (though Jesse could totally be a hairy-chested love novel cover model, obviously), for this is about things I made for a baby.

One of my very best friends (and frequent appearer on the blog), Lena, is having a baby girl who is due 27 days before ours! This is Lena's first baby and you know those non-mom friends you have who are so weird or hilarious or easily-grossed out about YOUR pregnancy that you are like, "wow, I cannot wait to see how you are when youre pregnant?" well, Lena is definitely one of those, and she has super-duper not disappointed in being highly entertaining as she discovers the manifold joys and WTF's of gestating a baby in your ladyparts.

Lena and her husband are godparents to our kid,s and Lena was right *there* when Layla was born as our official birth documenter. Like SHAZAAM up in the perineum with the DSLR (tell me THATs not true friendship). She wrote a wonderful and hilarious account of the birth that is all the more enjoyable when you realize the girl who penned this post 4 years ago is giving birth in 6 weeks.

Another thing about Lena is that she is one of the most generous people I have ever met and is a legendary and prolific gift-giver. So when the invitation to her baby shower arrived, I knew I had to step it up and come strong.

Here's what baby Finley Elaine has waiting for her on the other side from her Auntie K8 (the pics are crazy over-saturated and blown out for some reason and I have no patience to fix them. Apologies to your retinas):

a herringbone baby quilt that was shockingly simple to put together and then incredibly difficult not to keep for myself.

the quilting pattern just followed the zig zag of the front 1/4" from the seams on either side. the backing is a snuggly flannel in Lena's signature grey (girlfriend LOVES a neutral)

 I'm so glad I went for the single little chevron of the backing fabric within the herringbone pattern. And the black and white stripe binding is just crispy goodness.

 i added the monogram to the back side for personalization but also to prevent myself from stealing it. I had to hand-applique the name on to avoid quilt lines through the name or backward name stitches showing up on the front (if I had machine stitched the letters on...tricky conundrum)

 taking pictures of this finished project was way more challenging than expected. I spent about 15 solid minutes getting this view all set up on the wall, then waddled back into position and snapped the first pic. Are you freaking kidding me?! My head almost exploded in this moment.

I was going to just give the one gift of the quilt, but then I just couldn't stop. I haven't made one thing for my new baby girl yet, but I was off on a tear for Lena's. 

 

matching onesie and baby leggies (tutorial here from another BFF, raechel) combo. love this little ATLien already.

another combo with a bow (I am expecting a head full of hair on this babe from the get-go since Lena and Elliot have thick, lush locks aplenty)

And then one last little touch for baby's room...or I guess wherever Lena wants to put it. Her beloved NYC:

Elliot proposed to Lena atop 30 Rock and they're pregnancy announcement pic was taken there too, so it' felt right to bring a little happy, colorful big apple into baby girl's space. (pattern from my favorite shop)

The shower was unreal. I ate about a kilo of bleu cheese (unpasteurized because I'm a rebel like that) and 4 large shortbread cookies, and washed that healthy meal down with a liter (mama's feeling metric today!) of sparkling punch. Ain't nobody loves a lady-shower style punch like this chick! Lena got SO MUCH wonderful baby swag and we all enjoyed staring at her opening gifts for 2 hours straight trying not to be awkward. 

what is wrong with us? I complain, but this is a pretty spot-on representation of our whole friendship. (note to self: IRON the shirt after it arrives in the mail in its flat-packed state)

30 weeks and 40 weeks. and my spiritual gift of closing my eyes at the EXACT moment of shutter click shows no signs of diminishing. 

I'm not sure if I have ever been as excited for a baby's arrival that wasn't occurring in my own birth canal. Baby Finley hasn't taken her first breath yet, but is already crazy-loved and prayed for. I cannot wait to get my hand on that little nugget--I might not give her back...especially if she's wrapped in that quilt.