that's what friends are for

This post is out of order, but I was waiting for some pictures. My best friend Allison and I have been friends since second grade. Although we have not lived in the same city since high school, we have remained close. She has joined us on family vacations (oh the stories she could relate about my family), accompanied me at family get-togethers and my dad considers her daughter #6. She was the first person I told when I found out I was pregnant with Alex.

When she came to visit us in August we found out she is expecting her first baby on Christmas day! Since I won't be there, she was so sweet to plan her baby shower in October so that I could attend. It was so fun to have some girl time and to enjoy a nice lunch without kids crawling all over me.
Although we definitely have a lot in common (people always question how old we are....in fact when Allie was in college a waitress once asked if she needed a children's menu!), we are also very different. She and Pete share a lot of personality traits and unlike myself who has difficulty drawing stick figures, Allie is an amazing artist. In fact, right now she is in the process of painting a mural in her baby's room. I've been lucky all these years to have such an amazing friend and I can't wait to meet her little girl.