45 www.ReadMPM.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com | www.MountPleasantPodcast.com As respite caregivers babysitting for children of foster parents, Erin Corder and her husband Ryan knew that adoption would be part of their family plan most likely after they had biological babies. Assuming that when the time came, the process would be a protracted one, the Corders were as surprised as they were overjoyed when in March 2023, they received a phone call from a family member who explained to them that his acquaintance was just two months away from giving birth and the adoption plan had fallen through: would the Corders consider becoming the parents of the baby? Answering with a resounding yes, the Corders scrambled to complete the adoption paperwork, while also readying their house to bring a baby home with only eight weeks to spare. Since the vision for their parenting journey had been thrown into reverse, the Corders found themselves starting from scratch and with no immediate family in town, the soon-to-be first-time parents relayed their circumstances to a small group of friends, who immediately went to work planning a baby shower. By April, the Corders had decided to name the baby Eden, whose name lent the concept for the garden-themed shower. The party, which was thrown at a friend’s house in Mount Pleasant, was decorated with bouquets, potted plants and ivy. There, the Corders were treated by their coed circle of friends to a brunch buffet, mimosas and a latte machine with spiked coffees. Nobody was actually pregnant, so a good time was had by all. Erin added that it was an unusual feeling, celebrating motherhood when she wasn’t pregnant. As a new mom adjusting to 3-month-old Eden’s bottlefeeding schedule and changing nap times, Erin started having wild dreams and night sweats that prevented her from sleeping. That’s when she discovered that she was expecting a baby. Exhausted from the fog of pregnancy and parenting a Life’s Sweet Surprises Gender reveals, baby showers and unexpected pregnancies BY SARAH ROSE family The Corders.
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