Let It Be-Baby Edition

Last night we hosted a family baby shower for Mark’s niece and nephew, Alli and Ryan, who are giving us a BABY in March! The entire family is a giggle and a goggle, frothing and glassy eyed at the prospect of a BABY IN THE FAMILY!!!

It’s a beautiful thing, to already be so loved and yet to see the light of day on this Earth.

I love this couple. I do, and not because they are family and it’s required, but because the minute you are in their presence, you are smiling and laughing and feel immediately as if you are among friends. They remind me much of my Patrick and Toni.

Last night’s shower was Rock & Roll themed, as Baby Ty’s room is decorated in framed record albums, a fresh style that is truly the combined efforts of his mom and dad. They have their turntable set up, and while I usually try to build baby’s first library when I throw showers, asking the guests to bring their favorite book…this time we did it a little differently.

Everyone brought some vinyl.

We had rock & roll themed decor courtesy of Party Gypsy, delicious cupcakes served on records courtesy of Connie and GiGi’s Cupcakes, hot and cheesy Mexican food courtesy of Tarahamara’s and while there was great gobs of loot feasted upon the Momma and Ty, my personal favorite was seeing everyone’s contribution to his first record collection.

We had classics (Hendrix, Aerosmith, Cash) had holiday, we had cheese-and it wasn’t ALL my contribution-Chrissy gave the Pina Coloda song!, we had legit (from John Fullbright-from us to JayZ courtesy of Ty’s uncle D) and we had what I think is the best part.

Records that were pulled from real collections. Lori, Connie, and Mark’s names written on the covers. These pieces of Ty’s family history, now his. Mema Nancy gave some Stevie Wonder that once was Lori’s (Ty’s Gramma) and Mark…my Mark…Uncle Mark…

Well kids.

He pulled his entire Beatles Capitol Record collection. The entire catalog that was purchased, paid for, listened to, coveted by Mark in his youth. These recoreds serve not only as a tangible piece of musical history, but of this family as well.

I’m not even going to lie and say I didn’t tear up when Momma Alli got to the stack of worn, scuffed, beautifully intact vinyl. The thought of these records spinning in the bedrooms of Ty’s Gramma Lori, Auntie Connie and Uncle Mark…Well it was just beautiful.

All night long, we all laughed and had this kind of incredulous tone when talking about our record store experiences, the walks down memory lane, the variations in styles and tastes. We as a family are on the lookout for two very specific albums for Ty’s collection and something that began on a note of whimsey for a family shower turned into yet another thread of connection weaving us together in preparation to welcome this fella into our lives.

Lord knows, he’s already in our hearts.