One of Agnes’ co-residents at the Neurology program threw a baby shower for Agnes Saturday afternoon. Brigitte invited us, along with all of the other Neurology residents, to her place in Manhattan Beach for an afternoon party. She cooked up a storm, serving first some cocktail shrimp and bruschetta on small slices of toast. After everyone arrived, she served a late lunch which was a salad with arugula and sliced cherries, polenta, baked potatoes with cheese, bacon, and sour cream, and two kinds of skirt steak: one marinated in maple syrup and sherry, and the other with peppercorns. Her husband Kevin was responsible for grilling the steak, which was cooked to a very nice medium to medium-rare. Everything was excellent, and they have a beautiful place with a view of the ocean.

The residents all pitched in and bought us two Graco Snugride car seats for our shower. We had been getting nervous because we saw that someone had purchased the car seats from our registry, but we weren’t sure if we would get them in time. You can’t drive home from the hospital without car seats. It’s quite a generous gift.

After the baby shower, we went home and took stock of what we had and what we still need on the first day that the babies come home. We went out shopping to make sure we at least have the bare minimum. We bought a bottle of unscented Tide to wash everything, a sheet for the Pack n Play and some burp cloths. We also bought some more newborn-sized diapers to make sure we don’t need to go out for diapers on the first day back from the hospital. I think we’re all ready. We will need some additional things during the first week, but at least we shouldn’t need to stop by Babies R Us on the way back from the hospital.