Woodstock Ontario - Gender Reveal Party

I slept in until 8:00 AM this morning. The guest bed here is very comfortable. It was raining steadily when I got up, although there were reports of snow as close as Stratford. Sandy and Heather went out shopping and said they would pick up breakfast at McDonald's on their way back. In the meantime, I did some research on drive lines and learned a whole lot about torque converters that I never knew before. I also called Freedom Rider brother Kenny, who works in the service department at our local Chev dealer, to pick his brain.

When the ladies got back, Tom went out to pick up the cake. This didn't go smoothly. Before he returned, the baker called the house to apologize. It seems one of her staff left the order form with the cake so that Tom inadvertently learned the result ahead of time. He was surprised the baker had called and told us because he had decided he would keep the fact that he knew to himself and pretend to be surprised when the time came.

The preparations went well. Before the first guests arrived, everything was laid out in style. Chili was cooking and a wide selection of finger foods and pastries ready for the masses.

Ready for the party

Punch and coffee

Gift packs for the cousins

The cake

The first to arrive were Kim, Mike, Jolene and Robyn. Wojtek and Agnieszka, Tom's brother and sister-in-law, arrived soon after with young Maja and Adi. Tom's Mom Zofia was with them. Next, Tom's other brother Greg arrived with his better half Justyna and their little one, Aleks. Soon, the kids were playing with little Slinkies and, in Adi's case, Lego.

Robin and her buddy Whale Seal

Jolene on her best behaviour (for now)

Zofia, Sandy and Kim - grandmas didn't look this good when I was little

Mike and Daddy's Girl Robyn

Cousins at play

Jolene watches as Grandma Zofia gives Maja a hand

Justyna watches her Mom and Aleks

Before long, it was time for the moment of truth. The crowd assembled around the cake table as Heather took the knife and Tom stood by, pretending to be waiting in anticipation.

Gathered at the cake table

The moment of truth

IT'S A BOY!!!!!

Yes, this will be our first grandson. The parents-to-be tell us his name will be Jasper.

The good spirits continued for a while before people started to depart. Heather and Tom had to attend a housewarming  later in the afternoon, so Sandy and I packed up some leftovers from the feast and headed to Cambridge for supper at Kim and Mike's. After we ate, visited with Jolene and Robyn and got them settled into bed, we watched some TV before heading back to Woodstock. It was a dark, rainy night along the 401, one of those times when the moisture in the air soaks up the headlights leaving limited visibility. Too old to be bold, I took it easy and we arrived in one piece.

Heather and Tom were in bed when we got back to the house so we turned in straightaway ourselves.