Baby Shower Time!

The thought of being the center of attention admittedly gives me anxiety in any scenario. If you look up the definition of an introvert in the dictionary there you would see my smiling face. As you probably can imagine the idea of a baby shower, and all the festivities that go along with it, was enough to give me severe heartburn. More so than my Hannah Banana’s full head of hair normally gave me.

So many things could go embarrassingly wrong in my mind! What if I had a booger hanging out of my nose the whole time? What if I didn’t give the right reaction to a handmade baby sweater? What if I couldn’t read the cursive writing on the card while reading out loud? The pressure was too much and I was ready to call the whole thing off!

After many discussions with my closest friends, husband and mom I realized that a baby shower is a special event for an expecting Mom. It also is a wonderful time to get together with all the people who will love my little banana once she arrives. Not to mention the tiny fact that unless we wanted to put Hannah to sleep in the bathtub every night due not owning any baby gear then a shower was a good idea. My mom told me there is something special about celebrating a new life with your friends and family, and she was right. So I let go, gave in and enjoyed my baby shower and being surrounded by all the amazing women in my life.

My baby shower took place in November 2019 when I was about 26 weeks pregnant. My best friends threw the shower for me and one of them was gracious enough to host it at her house. It turned out beautifully and I am so grateful for everything they did for me. It had a fall theme and the decorations were adorable (I have included some pictures below!). I am truly blessed with wonderful and caring friends. I can honestly say I don’t know what I would do without them.

We didn’t do any of the more common baby shower games like guess the melted candy in the baby diaper or guess how big mommy's belly is. Games aren't for everyone and they certainly aren’t my thing. Had I looked up to see someone coming at me with a tape measure at 26 weeks pregnant, there is a solid chance of me punching them straight in the snot locker.

However, we did do two things that I really enjoyed and wanted to share.

1. Books instead of cards - instead of greeting cards I asked for children's books. It was a great way to start a little library for Hannah! Also, people wrote the nicest inscriptions in the covers of the books that we will be able to share with Hannah when she is older.

1. Diaper Raffle - when my friend sent out the invitations she included a little note about having a diaper raffle. Each person who brought a package of diapers would get their name entered into a raffle for a prize. It is a great way for a new mommy to get a diaper stash! We still have diapers that came from the shower and trust me they go fast!.

Being pregnant was no easy task and can be physically and emotionally draining at times, but I admit that I felt recharged after my shower. Feeling the love and support that day was something that was truly special and a memory that I will never forget.

One final and life saving thought, make sure that the person who is keeping track of the gifts as you are opening them knows the names of everyone at the shower. One of my sisters kept track for me and, for the most part, she did a great job. I did, however, have one hell of a time writing a thank you note to “the girl with brown hair and glasses”.

“Even though you can’t keep a plant alive, I think you’re going to be a great parent” - unknown