Baby Imbesi

On Sunday October 13, Elizabeth came back to CNY for a baby shower.  A friend since college, my first Women's Center friend, somehow we've managed to stay connected despite few visits and her moves.  She lives in Michigan now, but both her and her husband are from Cicero.  Actually, she's doctor Imbesi now.  She is a psychologoist at a VA hospital.  Last year, after her and her husband decided they wanted to try for a baby...she got pregnant right away.  Yeah, it happens!  It's a boy... but the name is a secret...  It was mostly Jason's big, Italian family.  And a few friends; me, from Oswego, a friend from Buffalo where they went to grad school and friends from Boston, where they lived for almost a decade.  It was at Jason's sister's house in a subdivision....the house was very nice, the food was good and there was a lot going on.

I had Ellie with me, who was so well behaved most of the time, people didn't even realize she was there.  And even when she did get fussy for a meal, I took her upstairs to a bedroom and she refused to eat.  It was an odd day.  I ended up rocking her to sleep in her car seat while they opened gifts.

Here's Dad-to-be Jason with Ellie when I had set her up on the couch at the beginning so she could take it all in.

A food shot.  I like to try and do these even though I'd never eat this lol.  I ate the salad and the pasta.

Elizabeth wanted some maternity shots and I really wanted to take some.  I took them outside and put them by the fence as I didn't want the subdivision background.  I got a few nice shots, but I knew right away I wasn't going to get what we both wanted this way.  People were coming and going, understandably, and I couldn't find a spot they were both just at ease in.  Of course, the pictures look good and they look good....but I wasn't going to get THE shot this way.

They look nice...but posed.  (Of course they look nice, they are a very photogenic couple!)

Love this.

Their niece came out and I grabbed this shot..love it.

I decided to have them sit down.  Right away, they were clearly more at ease and there was more going on...  I love this picture.

They look great here... but not really a prego shot and they got photo bombed.  Guess I need some fancy software to edit this stuff out :)

Then she wasn't paying attention.  And I got my shots.  I can never rest until I got THE shot.  I got a couple.  She looks beautiful and serene, glowing and pregnant.

Cute interaction.

Happy glowing Mom to be.  Elizabeth said she didn't even know I took these.  Those are MY FAVORITE photos.  Most of us come out different when we are "aware" of the camera.  It was fun to be able to capture this moment and this phase of their life for them.  I learned from my first "prego" photos :)  It's amazing with everything going on, and with Ellie there, we got what we did... it's not hard to take a good picture...but it's exciting to get the RIGHT picture.

Ellie had had enough of sitting around by the time I was done, so I don't have a ton of great photos of the party.  I did grab this shot of the cupcakes :)  We sat down and ate and talked and then, as I mentioned, watched them open gifts.  They had put on their invitation that gifts were welcome, but not necessary, which I thought was a great way of putting it and that their baby was an eco baby and welcomed recycled items.  I told her when I got the invitation it was the hippest baby invite I ever got :)

They got a lot of nice gifts and a couple of bags of my old Adam clothes, too (I was delighted to give his stuff to someone I know will use it...it's very hard for me to let go of their clothes, especially Adam's.)  The TV was on some sporting event for the all the guys there (this was officially co-ed).  It was nice to see them enjoy the moment.  As you get older, you think you don't want or need these traditional things sometimes.  But in the end, it's nice to experience rites of passage like baby showers.  It's a way to mark the time and enjoy everyone's excitement and goodwill.  I don't remember much of my first pregnancy, but I remember my shower and sharing the excitement with everyone.   It was also nice to talk in person with Elizabeth, which is somehow never awkward, even though it's sometimes years.  I am so happy for them!  This is an exciting time and I know, despite all the time I'm SURE they've spent analyzing it, they will be amazing parents and I can't wait to meet baby Imbesi.