I sat down in one of the chairs and everyone gathered just a little too close for comfort. Alexis started picking up presents out of the pile and handed them to me one by one. Lanie feverishly wrote down which gift was from whom so I could write out thank you letters.

Each person had been told to bring a book instead of a card so that we could have a nursery full of kid's books. Alexis had said Rick had been annoyed not having a lot of books to read to her when she was little, so she said it was the best gift she could come up with for him.

"He'll love it. I've already heard him complain that we needed more books."

Each book was meant to have an inscription inside to the baby.

Jenny's book was Guess How Much I Love You. Inside she wrote 'From Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jenny. You will be so loved that you wont need to guess.' Her gift was the largest box so I was most curious about what was inside it. Once I tore open the yellow wrapping paper I saw that it was a bassinette that played music and rocked back and forth to different rhythms. "Amber just loved it, and I don't think I could have made it through the first 6 months without it."

I said thank you and turned towards the next gift that Alexis handed me. This one was from Ann. Where the Wild Things Are was tied to the box tightly with ribbon. The book's inscription read. 'For the little one, who is sure to be a wild thing. Love Ann A.K.A. The Lone Ranger.' Inside the box there were pacifiers in different colors and a gift card to the store I had registered at. I smiled knowing she probably had re-gifted the pacifiers since she had gotten so many double gifts at her own baby shower.

The next one was from Tory. "Forgive me. I didn't know what to get you."

Alexis handed me just a book. It was Winnie the Pooh, it said 'For your many adventures. Love Tory.' There was a flash drive tapped inside the book.

"What's on the flash drive?"

"We work for the police department so don't get mad?" It sounded like a question.

"Okay."

"It's almost every episode of Winnie the Pooh. They're perfect."

I smiled. She was the tech genius so I knew she'd illegally downloaded them all.

"I loved that show when I was a kid. I swear I've seen every episode. It's actually pretty well written, not like the mind numbing kid's shows they have today."

Lanie's gift was next. There was a large red book sticking out of a bag. I pulled it out and smiled at the cute little kid on the cover. The title was I Like Myself.

Lanie grinned. "I found this in the store, it was so cute I just had to get it."

I opened it to the note inside. 'For the kid who will be as strong as your Mom and who will possess an imagination as great as your Dad, here's a little sass from Auntie Lanie. With lots of love.'

I grinned. "Should I be worried?"

"No, girl. It's sweet."

I opened up the bag and pulled out what looked a little like a backpack.

"It's a snuggly, so you can walk that baby anywhere and not get cooped up in this house."

"Thanks Lanie."

Gates had gotten a few adorable outfits with animals on them and the classic story Goodnight Moon. 'Sleep well little Castle. Love Gates.' It was very simple and very thoughtful. I smiled up at her. I hadn't expected her to come, but I was starting to realize that she cared about us a lot more than she let us believe.

Maddie was up next. She had bought a stroller. It wasn't actually in the room, but it would be delivered in the next couple days. She had gone all out. It was just her way of doing things. The book looked a bit strange. It was called Pickle Things. On the cover a Pickle was talking on the phone. I laughed a little at the book and opened it. 'I hope you find your passion little one, even if it's pickle things. From someone who deals with food this isn't strange. Love what you do. –Maddie.'

"You're are so interesting Maddie, it's perfect."

Alexis gently handed over a monkey that looked similar to the ragged one on her bed in her dorm room, but much newer. The book was held in its arms: How to be a Baby by Me…the Big Sister. Inside it said, 'Finally! You're here. I've been waiting for you my whole life and I've got a lot to tell you. No matter what you need I'm there for you. Your Big Sis Alexis.'

"It's not too cheesy right?"

"No. It's honest. I love it and so will you're brother or sister."

She blushed and then waited for Martha to hand over the last present.

Martha's gift was an adorable teddy bear that could record a lullaby and a book I hadn't heard of called "But no Elephants!" The pages were tattered and there was a stain on the cover. Inside it were big letters that read: Alex.

Underneath the name it said 'To my beautiful grandchild, I hope you are just as unique as these characters and learn to open your heart to the whole world. Love your Grams.'

"This was Castle's?"

Martha nodded. "I found it not too long ago and I showed it to Richard. He wanted it so bad, but I said it was meant for someone else."

"I bet that has been bothering him."

The group got a little restless after noticing there were no more gifts on the pile. I was about to say thank you to everyone, but Martha pulled out a small blue shoebox.

"You already gave me my gift."

"It's not from me." She looked nervous, unsure of whether or not to explain.

"I had dinner with Jim the other night and he gave this to me to give to you at your baby shower."

I didn't know what it was, but somewhere deep down I hoped it was from her.

I took the box and gently set it down on my lap.

The whole room was silent as they watched me wring my hands together. I closed my eyes and opened it. Inside was a pair of tiny white shoes with little bells on them, two books with yellowed pages, and a brightly colored knitted blanket.

There was a little card inside the box that had 'Katie' written in Dad's handwriting.

At this point my hands were shaking and I was fighting back tears. These things were from my mom. They were my things, stuff my mom had shown me right before I left for college. She had cried. There were so few times I had seen my mother cry. She had been so strong.

I had asked her if she was okay and she had just said. "This is one of those moments Katie."

Then I heard Alexis' voice. "Mom? Do you want me to read it?"

I nodded. I couldn't manage to hold onto the piece of paper let alone read it.

Alexis picked it up. Her hand brushed the soft strings of the blanket as she took it out of the box.

She cleared her throat and I wiped away my tears.

"Katie. This is one of those moments where I know you wish Mom was here. These were yours and she was planning on giving them to you today. Your grandmother made the blanket for you and the shoes have bells on them because Mom said it was the only way to keep track of you once you started walking. I bought her that baby book. I didn't think she would use it, but everything you did was wonderful to her. She loved it so much she bought you one. I know you'll love that baby the same way she loved you.

Love Mom and Dad."

I had cried while Alexis had read the note, but I smiled at the idea that my mom had bought me that book. I picked it up. 'Mommy loves Katherine.' The other book had a blank space for our baby's name.

As Alexis went to hand me the card I pulled her into a hug. "Thank you."

I felt Alexis smile against me and I let her go.

Maddie broke the tension like a pro. "So, who wants cake?"

The rest of the group started to talk and make noise on cue and gave me time to recover from the amazing gift in my lap.

Martha was the only one still sitting next to me.

She smiled sadly at me. "You okay kiddo?"

"Thank you, you and Dad…" I couldn't find the words to thank her and suddenly I knew exactly what to say.

"Let's get some cake Mom."

Martha's hand fluttered to her heart and she gasped. Her smile made my heart soar and I wondered why I hadn't said it sooner.

I stood up to join the rest of the party and she joined me.

A/N: I totally stole the book thing from my sister's baby shower and the book But No Elephants is an incredible kids book by Jerry Smath. I thought Castle as a kid would have loved the book. The others are Guess How Much I Love you by Sam McBratney, Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne, I like Myslef by Karen Beaumont, Pickle Things by Marc Brown, Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, and How to Be a Baby… by Me, and The Big Sister by Sally Lloyd-Jones. I have a new nephew and baby cousin so kids stories are on my mind.