Baby Shower

I have had such a fun time during the last couple of weeks doing a baby shower for Kara! LeRoy looked at the prep work and projects involved as just busy work and me doing to much. My view of all of it was that I was doing something that kept me focused outside of myself and beyond impending due dates (for house and baby). It has also given me something to plan and create beyond my basic mothering duties. I have wanted to post pictures of things for the shower but resisted knowing that Kara would be seeing it and I wanted to surprise her. So now I am excited to show a few things that have given me so much satisfaction in the thinking up, creating and sharing processes.

First of all, I did the invitations. Most of you received one so I won't worry about sharing a picture, but I just want to say that I love doing that kind of a project. The papers were all spread out, cut and in an assembly line and I truly relish in the time that it takes to go from an assembly line to a finished pile of envelopes ready to send out. It may seem like just work to some but I love it! It's something that the kids can't mess up before I even get it finished.

Next project was the cake. Not edible, or I would not have been able to make it 2 weeks in advance. This one took me a little while to put together because I had a picture in my head but actually getting that picture to finished project is a little bit of a struggle working only with the limited supplies that Rexburg has to offer. There is only 1 craft store in town, they are expensive and they really don't have much compared to the larger stores in Idaho Falls or Utah. It did come together though and Erika and I had a giggling bonding moment getting all those diapers to fit into 1 rubberband for each level of the cake. If anyone else needs a diaper cake let us know - we are experts at the whole rubberbanded diaper thing now!

A full package of size 1 diapers (completely usable), ribbon, a large sunflower, and a baby tiger tops it off.

Back in November I saw a 'daddy diaper dootie bag' online and really liked the idea as something to give to Baddaddy as a shower gift but once again the picture of what I wanted was nothing like what I was finding online. They all looked a little cheesey and even cheap and didn't seem to fit Baddaddy. So what does a girl do? Make one herself! (I was feeling a little Celia Garth moment there :) It took some very creative energy to find the right fabric, ribbon and backing but wa-laa - it came to fruition! I am too embarassed to say what I finally used because the finished product would never show it but it was so fun to use something completely created for another use and come up with my own creative version of the before said cheap items. Filling it was fun as well: a little comedy, a little necessity and alot of fun!

Baddaddy is now set with a mask, gloves, wipes and germ-x for sanity, lotion and diaper ointment to protect baby's skin, diapers and a clean onesie to change baby into, and a pacifier and toy to help calm baby either before, during or after the changing process.

The food was so much fun for me to plan and prepare! I debated between a few recipes for the menu. I wanted something that was new to Kara and I wanted to try a couple of new recipes but I wanted it simple knowing that I would be 5 weeks from my due date. I settled on vegetable cheese soup and crackers, tortilla rollups, a fruit bowl, a chocolate trifle and a raspberry trifle. The drink was simple water with strawberries and cucumbers in it. I hope everyone enjoyed eating it as much as I enjoyed making it. I tried to figure out why I love making a full luncheon for a group of friends yet I despise the question "what's for dinner?" from my kids. I think the answer comes in all the compliments and gratitude that come from the group of friends compared to the complaining or wrinkled noses that come from my kids.

For our baby shower game it seemed only fitting that we should play Baby Bunko. Why? Because at Kara's bridal shower we played Bride Bunko. So why the fettish with bunco you might ask. Well, I am part of a bunco group that meets once a month (about 16 ladies) and we have an evening of dinner, game, and great conversation. It was my hope that Baby Bunko would provide a fun game that was a little original and new to everyone and would create a similar feeling that I crave when waiting for bunco night with the gals. My aunts who attended the shower informed me that they would prefer the games that they can compare written answers on but they, along with everyone else, seemed to still enjoy it while playing.

Created with pictures of my sons Justin and Nathan as well as my nephew Korben. "Naptime" fuzzy pillow was tossed around plenty during this particular game of Baby Bunko.

The baby shower also provided a final trip before my baby comes. I have been known on many occasions to run away to Kara's for a brief perspective boost and to return home ready to face motherhood. This was another much needed opportunity to take a deep breath before facing the final month before all the major changes come and I did find that brief relief and a jolt of renewed enthusiasm for the weeks to come.

As a final note to the baby shower . . . I also received a gift. I adored it and then, against my will to keep it forever, I ate it! Kara made a beautiful 'thank you' bouquet of fruit for me. I have never received flowers that I wanted to keep as much as I wished I could preserve this bouquet. I had been on the phone with her a few days prior and she was being very secretive about what she was making and all I could hear in the background was running water. I never imagined something so fun and for it to fit my personality so well. Thanks Kara! It is perfect!

Strawberries, green and red grapes, pineapple cut into hearts. I love it!!

As if that wasn't enough she also gave me this great picture which will match perfect with the new quilt I just got for our bed. It will look great in our new bedroom!