Deep in the Hundred Acre Woods

We went on a hunny hunt this afternoon, in search of Pooh Corner, where it was rumored that a party was being held for Ashley and her husband and their soon-to-be-born son, Gabe.  It was an absolutely perfect day, weather wise.  It has been in the 70s this week (unusually cool), but today could not have been better and tomorrow it is scheduled to go back into the 100s.  The weather gods smiled on Ashley and Dave today!

Ashley is a big fan of Winnie the Pooh and all of his friends and her mother's back yard had been turned into a wonderful salute to A.A.Milne and his friends in the Hundred Acre Woods.

Each of the tables, for example had a "hunny pot" with Winnie the Pooh head first in it.  Ashley said that they figured that after Gabe was born, everyone in her family would have one of the Poohs, so he would never be without one whenever he came visiting.

The yellow thing hanging above it, by the way, is not a balloon, but a yellow lantern decorated with bees stuck into the surface of it. They hung all over the patio.

This was a swim party (though most of us didn't swim) and things were slow getting started, but the most ardent swimmer in the whole party was Oakley, who just loved the water and chasing balls tossed into the water.

(His aunt, whose name I have forgotten, is several years older.  She took a shine to Walt and pretty much slept at his feet most of the afternoon.)

I had not seen Ashley since before she was pregnant (when she stays here with the dogs, I rarely see her before or after...she has had her own key to the house for years).  She has changed just a little since I last saw her...the baby is due in the first part of August!

There was a ton of food, lots of stuff to drink (I had virgin strawberry daiquiris, which were delicious), and the boyfriend of a friend of hers was at the barbeque all afternoon cooking food that was out of this world.  I wasn't really very hungry, so only had a little, but what I had was delicious.

Lots and lots of people came and it seemed everyone had a big parcel.  We left before gift opening, but I'm sure it must have taken her well over an hour to open them all.

We didn't know most people there, but had a wonderful time sitting pool side and watching the fun there.  I loved it when I realized that the pool had adults, kids, babies and a dog all in it at the same time. 

This kid was my favorite, though.

He's 4 years old and has been taking swimming lessons.  As soon as he got there, he jumped into the pool and had been swimming about an hour when we finally left.

There was a mountain of beehive cupcakes for dessert, but we (and several other people) left before those were served.

We had been sitting around enjoying the ambience when Ashley said something about it being time for the games.  When I had been inside the house earlier, I had seen instructions for a "diaper game" and her sister was running around with a baby bottle in her hand.

I told Ashley that if there was one thing I hated it was party games.  She admitted that the only thing she hated more was opening gifts in front of everyone.

We could get away, she couldn't, so I assume she played games and then opened gifts while we got on the road home.

We had stayed 3 hours, which was far longer than I anticipated we would stay  You know me and parties like that, especially when I know almost no one.  It helped that Walt was there too...and that you didn't have to engage in conversation when there were so many cute kids and dogs to watch!

I am so thrilled for Ashley, who has wanted to be a Mom for a long time.  This baby will also be the first grandchild in the family. And I'm so thrilled that she thinks of us as close enough friends to invite to her shower.  I wouldn't have missed it for the world (but I'm glad I missed the "diaper game").