Lessons Learned While Hosting a Baby Shower

Attending baby showers is an interesting rite of passage that all women must go through. There are many customs and norms that one must adhere to at such an event. I am in that season in my life when many of my friends and family members are having babies and starting families, so I am slowly being immersed into the world of baby showers. Last week, I helped host Alyssa's shower. I am like a baby myself when it comes to baby showers due to my inexperience with such celebrations, so this was a learning experience for me. 

Lesson number one: Food should not be put on sticks. No matter how cute the theme may be (She's Ready to Pop), don't give in to the temptation to turn every treat into a pop. It is time consuming and may result in the treat falling off onto the table before your guests can even see how creative you were. 

Lesson number two: Expect guests to arrive 20 minutes early and plan accordingly to ensure you are finished decorating before their (over)prompt arrival. 

Lesson number three: When playing the Guess How Many _______ Are In This Jar game, do not pick something as small as a "pop"corn kernel because it will take you an hour to count out over 2,000 of them! This was a second hand lesson as Melissa, the other host, was the one to learn it. However, I too learned a lesson from this game. It doesn't matter if you forgot how many lolli"pops" were actually in the container, or for that matter you never actually counted them but went by the serving size on the bag, because no one is going to double count them. Its okay to pick a winner based on an estimate. 

Lesson number four: Don't bother preparing food for an army because when women get together in large social settings, they feel the need to eat daintily, and you will have a lot of leftovers.

Lesson number five: Baby showers create a forum for women to tell their worst birthing and child rearing stories. It is almost like a form of hazing as a way of inducting the mother to be into the society of women who have endured the pains and joys of childbirth.

I'm sure I will have many more lessons to learn as I continue to attend baby showers. Overall, I think the shower was a success and now I'm ready for my little niece to get here!

I successfully completed another rag quilt!

Marching to Our Own Beat

Sometimes, we do things that others may consider a little strange.....

Example one: a few months ago we bought this crib from our neighbor. Since it was already put together, we saw no reason to take it apart. So.....we wheeled it down the middle of the road and waved our hands just like a parade. I'm sure anyone looking out their window thought we were making a proclamation to the neighborhood that we are expecting a baby. However, didn't your mother ever tell you not to judge a book by its cover? It's called an investment, people. Not an announcement. The funny thing is, once we got it home, we realized it wouldn't fit through the bedroom door, so we ended up taking it apart anyway.

Example Two: We, and by we I mean Nate, have trouble asking for help sometimes, so we make do. Nate had been practically salivating every time we walked past the wheelbarrows at Lowe's, so for his birthday, I told him he could pick whatever one he wanted. I saw two options: buy a wheelbarrow that hadn't been put together yet and take it home in our car, or buy one that was pre-assembled and ask someone with an SUV, van, or truck to help us get it home. However, Nate saw a third option: buy a wheelbarrow that is fully assembled and spend thirty minutes in the Lowe's parking lot maneuvering it to fit in the back seat of our car. Good thing they make windows that roll down.... On second thought, this may not be a strange thing at all. I have a feeling many a wife has experienced a similar situation.

Example three: Last week we went on an 8 mile hike with some of our friends. We decided to take Ollie with us. Let's just say Nate was able to get a nice upper body workout. I never understood how people spoiled their dogs until we got Ollie. Now we have crossed over to the dog lover's world. I brush his teeth, give him ice water, talk to him like a baby, and even let him sleep in bed with me occasionally. I do draw the line at a doggy carriage. I see this couple walk through our neighborhood all the time with a FAT dog riding in a carriage. Hello, don't you know puppyhood obesity is an epidemic and your dog needs some exercise? At least Ollie made it 6 miles before collapsing in the shade and refusing to take another step.