#10: Viva Palm Springs - a Babymoon Getaway

This past weekend Joe surprised me with a babymoon to Palm Springs! We left LA on Friday after work and stayed for two nights at the Riviera Resort and Spa. It was pure relaxation (minus the Friday night traffic).

Friday night we grabbed a late dinner at the resort's restaurant, Circa 59. We sat outside next the fire, and under hanging lights and enjoyed some Manchego-stuffed Dates wrapped in bacon, Pomegranate-Citrus Salmon and Lemon Risotto, Beef Tenderloin and Purple Potatoes and finished off the meal with a Toffee Bread Pudding, topped with salty butterscotch!

We started our Saturday morning with massages at the Spa Terre. Then we lounged by the pool all day and got caught up on all our magazines and books. Joe sipped on frozen drinks for the two of us, and I enjoyed some fruit smoothies. It was nice to get away and do absolutely nothing. Our weekends have been packed with errands, condo updates and baby prep - so to spend some time together by the pool was perfect.

For Saturday's dinner we went to Copleys, which is a restaurant on Cary Grant's old estate. The ambience was amazing - we sat outside on the front porch. It was another good meal - Joe got the Beef Tenderloin topped with Beef Short rib, served with potatoes and pumpkin mac n' cheese and I got the Chicken stuffed with Sun-dried Tomato and Goat Cheese, served with potatoes and green beans. Of course I saved room for dessert - the Apple Crumble topped with homemade cinnamon ice cream!

On Sunday we enjoyed breakfast by the pool and a late checkout. Then we headed to the other side of Palm Springs to have brunch at Norma's, at The Parker hotel. The hotel and grounds were something to be seen, like an adult version of Alice in Wonderland. Everything was over-the-top in an retro-chic kinda of way (designed by Jonathan Adler). The food at Norma's was superb, and completely over-priced. We thought brunch is LA was expensive - until we saw Peach Pancakes for $18 on the menu (but they were absolutely heavenly)! It was a fun experience to do once.

Now it's back to the grind. We have 30 days until his due date! Joe and are looking forward to his arrival and are getting our hospital bag packed, or as Joe calls it..."our go bag".

#9: A Baby Shower Tea Party

On Sunday, November 7th, Jessica Roberts, Stephanie Tsai and Tiffani Rogers hosted a beautiful, cozy baby shower tea party. Jackie Hanselmann brought some delicious treats and Sarah Spencer drove all the way from San Diego to be there!

These ladies have a special place in my heart, and are part of my small group through Bel Air. Some of us have been together for 3 1/2 years, and others joined the group more recently. Our group is a blend of guys/girls and marrieds/singles - so it was fun to just have some girl time over tea celebrating new life!

There were sweet place settings for each person, complete with adorable name cards and tea cups with saucers (Jessica's tea set). Jessica also made the aqua and orange table cloth, which are the colors of Baby Prusz's room! Stephanie made some beautiful flower arrangements with farmer's market flowers, and Tiffani was the creative mind responsible for the adorable name cards (each person's was different!)

There was an assortment of teas - including chocolate peppermint, vanilla and pear rooibos, green and black teas. There were some delectable tea party snacks as well, including a pear gorgonzola salad, onion and goat cheese puff pastries, tea sandwiches, maple scones, mini pigs-in-a-blanket, homemade cranberry tart, chocolate chip cookies and peanut-butter rice crispie treats. Everything tasted as good as it sounds!

We played some fun games which included a baby-item version of The Price Is Right and a How Big Is Baby game in which you have to match up fruits and veggies to the baby's week-by-week size during pregnancy. I didn't win either of these games, so not sure what I'm getting myself into!

The girls showered Baby Prusz with some sweet gifts including lots of cute clothes, blankets and bath-time items!

#8: Boy, Oh Boy! A Rooftop Baby Shower

This Saturday, our good friends Jill Lamb and Jen Johnston hosted an amazing baby shower for us in Santa Monica.

The shower was outside on the rooftop overlooking the city.  Luckily it rained the night before, leaving the sky clear and blue for Saturday afternoon. It was a perfect, fall day!

Even more perfect than the weather was the amazing set-up for the party. Jill and Jen transformed the rooftop from an empty deck into an inviting party space. There were round tables with seating, a couple cocktail tables in the corner for mingling and an adorable table for gifts with a colorful "lollipop" centerpiece. To top it off, there was a delicious food spread with chicken salad sandwiches, Jen's famous corn dip (I've ruined so many meals by eating too much of this!), farmer's market vegetable salad, walnut cheese dip, a fruit platter, and yummy lemon cupcakes. I'm pretty sure everyone at least got seconds! Guests could also choose from wine, beer, champagne, apple cider, or water.

Jill and Jen spared no details. They made this very sweet welcome sign for Baby Prusz which coordinated with the napkin rings, food signs, table centerpieces and invitations. There were also some delicious rice crispie treat party favors for guests (which I was thrilled there were a few leftover, now stashed in my pantry...and purse).

The shower itself was a wonderful time to catch up with some good friends and co-workers. We had a shower game of Celebrity Baby Trivia, and one of my co-workers, Skyler, managed to answer almost every single question correct. She won a year subscription to US Weekly...although, we're not quite sure she's the one who needs the subscription!

Baby Prusz was showered with lots of fun, practical and stylish baby gifts. And he has a lot of baby-friends awaiting his arrival this December.

45 more days until his due date. Joe is convinced he's coming early, I'm hoping he does, and according the stranger who approached me at Nordstrom he's definitely coming before December...not sure I want him to come that early though!

With the hostesses, Jill and Jen