A Baertlein Baby Shower

This past weekend I had the privilege of hosting a baby shower with "Honey" Annette,
for Max and Rebecca's upcoming addition.
 Annette and I had really wanted to do this so we have been planning it for awhile. It was nice to finally pin down a date and send out an invite on Facebook.

As I explained to them, it was also nice to have a "project" and something to do in between all my schoolwork. It gets hard to read about physics for 4 hours straight. The brain needs a little creative time...and that's what I tried to do. Get creative!

I first started on the decorations. I had wanted to make Annette's house really festive. I was trying to "Google" ways/decoration ideas when I stumbled upon homemade pom poms. These were fun to make. I started with streamers, but found I was not happy with the end product so I switched to tissue paper. I made a ton of pom poms and in my mind it was going to be a beautiful thing to have them all hanging around...and it was pretty cool! Many had gotten squished on their 3 hour journey over to Portland in Brent's trunk, but Max was helpful at poofing them back out.

Next was the food. I wanted to challenge myself with some things I have never made before, which could be risky. I picked the theme of Greek food. I just love Greek food and it seems to be pretty well received by most people. I made the following:

• Greek tortellini salad
• hummus and flatbread
• bowls of raw almonds
•  meat (some of Brent's summer sausage from his deer) and cheese
• different types of olives
• peppadew peppers
• strawberries and pineapple
• caprese/brushetta sandwiches
• bowls of grapes
• strawberry lemonade

 I planned a bunch of games that would have a focus on Rebecca, and then revised the game list to only include 3 games. We played "baby bingo"(self explanatory), "how big is mama"(people use special "how big is mama" tape and predict how wide around mama is, and "the diaper challenge" (Rebecca had to diaper as many stuff animals as she could in 30seconds).

For the winners of the games I made little gift bags with a "relaxation theme". I included a small scented candle, two bags of herbal tea, a packet of hot chocolate, bath salts, and a small thing of lotion. I scrapbooked the little tags that were on the bag that said, "relaxing kit"

I can't believe I didn't take photos of  a lot of this stuff. 

*Well I did take photos, but I think they got deleted.*

And the creativity continues...I also scrapbooked a book for people to write little words of advice, blessing, or well wishes. After looking through my baby books I got the idea. All the advice that people had written to me was a highlight. Especially those closest to me, that fairly accurately predicted a few things about me as a parent...(like I am awesome -haha)

Anyways, so I thought that would be fun for people at the babyshower to fill out.

I also made a calendar for everyone to fill out the guess for baby Baertlein's birthday and what they think he will weigh and measure.

In addition I made a "baby CD" with each song saying the word "baby" in it.

Rebecca received a sequin tiara to wear! To really channel the queen in herself!

And to throw it all in I got a cute little keepsake box.

It was a lot of fun to plan and throw together. I had planned on getting to Annette's house earlier than I did to have time to cook and prep everything and then set up.

However, I got held up a tad...so, we were barely done decorating when the guests of honor arrived. I had hoped to go around and take pictures, get the CD going, and arrange the pom poms. Instead I threw the food together and put it on the tables and Annette hung the pom poms. We never did get the CD on!

But, it was great. Becca's family was on time and actually came. Thank you for that Becca's family!

I felt like it had a good pace and went smoothly. I had a lot of fun.

I did not take many pictures, because hosting takes a bit of effort and it's hard to disappear behind the lens...and the pictures I took were quick and semi-blurry (my boys had played with the settings on my camera, they think they are photographers).

But I got a few...

the tissue paper made them look so much better

these are the ones made of streamers...

Super good times!

*side note not really baby shower related*

It is so fulfilling to give a gift of time to people.

To be so filled with the spirit of spreading joy.

I hope to instill that in the boys.

The desire to create, bring happiness to others, or simply help people without the expectation of something in return.

Too often I hear an expectation of monetary compensation or quid pro quo attached.

As I sat a few nights in a row making the pom poms, scrap booking,  and creating the CD for the baby shower the boys would ask, what's that for again?

 (Like, why do that when you can go buy that stuff)

I had several opportunities to express my pleasure in what I was giving and to explain to them that in addition to our talents, spending our time on someone else is showing a special kind of love.

A concept that should not be new to them, since I bring it up all the time, when I am doing (or teaching them) how to do their laundry and to make dinner. 

Or when I am taking the "time" to discipline them 

(that is really showing love).

I'm not sure they quite understand now, but hopefully it is sinking in.

I'm tired of this age of entitlement and materialistic drive.

****

okay, mini rant/blurb done!