Welcome Catherine!

Dear Baby Catherine,

What a joy it is to be able to say that.  I have tears in my eyes as I write this and think about the moment I first saw you.  I have waited for you my whole life, even though I didn’t always know I was waiting.  It already seems as though you’ve been a part of us forever and I can’t imagine life without you.  In the days to come I will write much more about my thoughts and feelings and the experience of your birth, but for now I just want to tell you how happy we are that you are finally here.

Welcome to the family baby, we love you so much!

Waiting

 

Can you tell we are excited about the arrival of our little one?

We’ve gone from this on June 13 (19 weeks)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To this on October 23 (38 weeks)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and this on October 30 (39 weeks).

Grandma and Grandpa Colby are making their way down here tomorrow to be around for the big day.  We are all still wondering when it will happen.

November 3 ~ When will you come?

 

November 3 is our original due date.  Because Baby measured small at our last ultrasound (4 months ago), there is a possibility that the date should really be around November 9.  I’m hoping for sooner rather than later, but I also know that Baby will come when he or she is ready. 

People at school eagerly look to my door each morning to see if I am there.  Today they all got excited when no one was in my classroom even when the first bell rang.  Unfortunately for all of their nerves, I was upstairs in a meeting and hadn’t had time to drop my things off and turn on the lights before the meeting started.

Happy baby-waiting!

November 1–Thankfulness

As we enter November, many people begin posting about things they are thankful for.  Today I am thankful for time.

I am thankful for the 39-1/2 weeks I’ve had Baby growing inside me—thankful that he or she has come full-term and is about ready to meet the world.  I am thankful for the time I will get to spend with him or her after the birth.  12 weeks ‘off’ from school is a long time, but it is so much more important to be at home with Baby, bonding and watching him or her grow.

I am also thankful for the time that other people have spent with me in the last few weeks.  Josh has taken extra time to make sure I am comfortable and that’s a tough thing to do these days!  Many people have stopped to ask how I am doing and offer advice on comfort, health, and the big event.  My long-term substitute has taken lots of time to listen to me (I have OCD and have over-prepared for my absence and have told her EVERYTHING) and get to know our classroom so we can have a smooth transition when I leave.

Finally tonight, I am thankful for the time I have left before Baby comes.  I am very excited and emotionally (and physically?) ready to be done being pregnant, but I know I am going to miss it.  I have enjoyed each little kick, each full-body flip, and each hiccup over the last few months.  I take time every day to sit and be with Baby.  I talk with him or her, sometimes sing, and always play footsie!

Baby Shower

It's a boy

My assistant's sister is having a baby boy so I offered to make a cake for the shower that Shelly is hosting. (Insert lots of praise here--I have the best assistant!!!)

Shelly left left the design up to me, saying, "put your touch on it, please," but requested that the cake definitely be "that great white cake you make." Those directions left me lots of room to try new things.

I made fondant buttons for the border. I'd love input on how other people make these. I cut circles using an icing tip and then made the indentation with a dowel and the buttonholes with a #2 tip. They look okay to me, but not quite professional.

I also tried a loopy bow. Going from pictures on CakeCentral, and a general description I read in a forum thread, I made individual loops. I blindly guessed how many loops I would need and how big they would need to be. I'm not too disappointed with the result, but I should have made some small loops for the very top. I had extra space and no loops of the right size so I threw a few additional buttons in to fill up the white space. Suggestions for improving my bows are also welcome.

The sides have baby feet and the word "baby" piped on them.

Stats:

• WASC
• VIVA Buttercream
• Satin Ice fondant

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Edited to add---I just found out a great old friend had her baby on June 4th--congrats Martha and Steve. I thought about you when making this cake today. Wish I could send you one, too.

Onesie Baby Shower

This cake was made for a double shower at school...a boy and a girl.

Stats:

• White Almond Sour Cream cake (WASC)
• Buttercream Dream icing
• Fondant accents
• Two-tone/single bag borders

Noah's Ark Baby Shower

Here is the Noah's Ark cake I made this week. It was a quick job before I left for vacation in Wisconsin. The mom-to-be chose a Noah's Ark theme.







Stats:

• Deep Chocolate cake (yummy!)
• Buttercream Dream icing
• Fondant animals and ark, details painted with icing colors

I made an extender recipe for this and then poured all the batter into the pan--not thinking about the amount at all. Part-way through the baking time I checked on the cake and found it oozing onto the oven floor. Despite a small loss there, the cake tasted great.

I'm working on borders now. I feel that my recent buttercream cakes need a top border but don't like thinking of a cool coordinating design. I usually rush to do something and end up not liking it. Fondant is so much better!