A Shower for Every Baby

I'll be honest, when a friend of mine asked if she could throw me a baby shower for our upcoming #2, I hesitated. Even though last fall I had attended a beautiful shower thrown by the same friend for another pal's #4, I still wasn't sure if anyone I knew would want to come.

It seemed odd. I didn't need any "big stuff," or really anything at all. But my friend reminded me that the shower isn't about the stuff, it's about the baby and the mommy and her support network. Really, this was going to be a bit of a 'blessingway' (minus the power circle and the hippy-dippy henna belly crap; not my style).

I trusted her, and we had a nice intimate shower (I probably would call it a "sprinkle") a few weeks ago. My husband's mother, aunts, and grandmother came. My neighbors and some friends showed up. All in all, about 10 people. My mom and sister were there in spirit.

There were just a few food items and super-yummy cupcakes.

There were introductions and some good advice from the older women (and a bit of good-natured ribbing about me reading so many parenting books and trying to find evidence-based methods--have I mentioned I majored in Child & Family Development and have no clue how to parent?).

Onesies were decorated. A few faves include some "Little Sister" onesies and "Mom's Little Peach" (hey, I am from Georgia, after all).

There were also gifts, but not the crazy explosion from my shower for #1. I received some small items like bibs, but for the most part I got diapers, both disposable and some new cloth. Cora even got a "Coolest Big Sis" shirt.

We also made bracelets/anklets (or a keychain in my case) with 3 cords, based on the verse from Ecclesiastes 4:12:

Where one alone may be overcome, two together can resist. A three-ply cord is not easily broken.

I think the premise is to wear/have it until the baby comes and pray for the baby and birth every time you see it.

At the end, my friend prayed over me and handed out a sheet with some intentions on it for everyone to take home and keep in their prayers. I'm sure her freestyle prayer made the older Catholic ladies a bit uncomfortable, but due to my Bible Belt upbringing, I'm more than happy to make them squirm. (And hey, it's Lent! Get uncomfortable.)

Only five days later, my work threw a baby shower for me and another girl who is due in July. Our office hasn't had anyone pregnant in at least 7 years, so that one was awesome, too, in its own special way.

I definitely think we should support our friends in their subsequent pregnancies, not just their first. The shower really is about the baby and mama, not about the gifts. A simple non-Pinterest-worthy diapers & wipes party with some flowers, food, and festivities would probably be appreciated by any pregnant mama, whether it's her first, second, or even eighth child on the way.

I got to take that pink hydrangea home, and I amazingly haven't killed it yet.

What are your thoughts on having a shower (or just a 'sprinkle') for every pregnancy? Tacky or sweet?

Cora's 3rd Birthday

As of 2 weeks ago, I am the proud momma of a 3-year-old!

Obligatory yearly chair-with-elephant photo

Semi-obligatory comparison photo collage
(I would also like to point out that the chair was never in the same place for each of these)

Of course we had a party. It was Minnie-Mouse themed.

Dollar Tree helium balloons for life

Not enough characters to do alliteration like last year, but I just made it work

Pensive birthday girl

A bow-shaped cake (and a mom/baker who needs to invest in a real cakeboard)

She managed to blow out exactly ZERO candles and Mom and Dad had to step in to help

We also did a 'pin the ring on Minnie' game that I found at Party City. We only had a few kids there (we use her birthday as an excuse to have wine and invite B's aunts and uncles over/one of her besties was sick), and I didn't get any pictures of the kids playing it. But she got a princess dress-up kit, and that was a hit.

See? Even her grandma was excited

I decided that 3 years old was a great time to start yearly interviews, and I ended up asking her these questions about once a day for a few days because she basically answered with whatever was in front of her face the first time around. 

Height: 38 ¾" (85th percentile)

Weight: 36 lbs. (90th percentile)

Nicknames: Honeybunch
What is your favorite color? Purple (based on what she wears, it's pink, but she said purple)
What is your favorite animal? butterfly
What is your favorite book? the Jasmine one
What is your favorite TV show/movie? Minnie
What is your favorite song? Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
What is your favorite food? cottage cheese
What is your favorite drink? milk
What is your favorite breakfast food? oatmeal
What is your favorite snack? graham crackers
What is your favorite outfit? heart dress (it's really just a tunic)
What is your favorite game? the Hello Kitty one (she just got it for her birthday)
Who is your best friend? changes between Londyn and Izzy (both daycare friends)
What is your favorite thing to do? "ummmm... I don't know"
What is your favorite thing to do outside? swing
What is your favorite holiday? Christmas (she's still not quite sure what a holiday is)
What do you like to take to bed with you at night? soft kitty
Where is your favorite place to go? daycare, Grandma's house
What do you want to be when you grow up? a doctor
What did you do on your birthday? had a party, blew the candles on the cake
What is your favorite prayer? Thankful Heart (from VeggieTales, but her daycare modified it into a grace before meals)

At her daycare a few weeks back, they had asked all the kids in her class what they want to be when they grow up. Then they taped it on their locker. Her answer has changed since then, thankfully . . .

Aaand one more picture of the birthday girl, for posterity's sake:

Saying "cheese" while eating 'toasty cheese'

Academy Awards BINGO

Anyone out there getting excited for the Academy Awards this weekend?

Many years ago, I lived with two roommates who LOVED movies and went and saw them all the time. They decided to host an Oscar Party in our living room, and even though I had only seen like 2 movies that year, it was loads of fun!

The first thing they gave us was a ballot to fill out. It had all the categories on it, and I did my best with it based on their reactions to all the movies they had seen all year.

The second thing they handed us was my favorite--Oscar BINGO cards! All luck, no skill, and it kept the discussion flowing, even for us who hadn't seen most of the movies. We had tons of fun with this! My roomies even had raided the dollar store for some fun prizes.

In an attempt not to re-invent the wheel, here is a printable ballot for this year's show from moviefone.

If you need some help with your choices, read the picks by the LA Times here.

Some sites with Oscar BINGO cards you can print:
HGTV: 7 Oscar Bingo Cards (this one has a good variety of basic not-too-far-fetched events that will probably happen)
Punchbowl: 15 Oscar Bingo cards (this one is very 2014-specific, and includes possible winners)
How About Orange 15 BINGO cards (no Free Space!) and Ballot

You can also make your own cards easily at this Bingo Card App site. Super easy to use!!

Or you can just print these blank ones and make everyone write in their own squares (then give it to someone else. Ha!)

Some ideas to include that may or may not be on the pre-made ones above:
Wardrobe malfunction
Someone wearing an animal
Winner mentions their children
Winner thanks their spouse
Too much cleavage
Award accepted on behalf of winner
Man in white suit/tux
Bleep/Profanity
Trouble with envelope
Sunglasses indoors

Do you have any ideas for BINGO or just party ideas in general you would like to add? Leave it in the comments!

I'll be watching it alone this year, but if you want to play BINGO and ballots against me on twitter, let me know! (I'm @windmill_cat, or you can click the twitter button in the sidebar and find me!)

(To be completely honest, I don't even  really WATCH movies. I want to, but it just never happens. However, I just love award shows! Especially the fashion.)

The 86th Academy Awards are Sunday, March 2nd at 7pm EST on ABC.

Animal-Themed Birthday Party

For Cora's 2nd birthday party, I found these invitations in my stash of stuff from (pre?)college.

Looks like my party theme just chose itself. Animals!

I looked at Pinterest a little bit, but I'm not one to go crazy with a theme. A lot of the Pinterest stuff narrowed it down to one category of animals (jungle animals, mostly). I decided just animals in general would make my life easier. Plus, the guest of honor was turning 2. She didn't give much input.

Let's start with purchased stuff. I bought some plates and napkins at Wal-Mart and Meijer.

I really love those cutesy animal plates and matching napkins, but they were part of a Baby's 1st Birthday line, and were the only things without the number 1 on them. I probably would have bought the rest if it was a year ago. (They were from Wal-Mart and very inexpensive.) On the right is Zoo Pals plates because I love them--each one is a different animal.

From Party City, I got a Pin the Nose on the Lion game. Even though there were no other young kids in attendance, it was a hit! B's brother and cousins were into it, and my mom forced me to play as well (and then I forced B, so basically everyone under the age of 31 played.)

This "blindfold" came with the game, but it only fits kids.

I love painter's tape a bit too much . . . 

Okay, onto the food. 

First, what animal-themed party would be complete without animal crackers? None, I tell you. None.

I bought some of the iced ones, too. Yum!

The rest of the food all had animal 'themes' (in a loose sense of the word).

Snake sandwiches. 5 dollar footlongs from Subway that we cut ourselves.
Yes, that's a tomato tongue.

Kangaroo kabobs

Protip with these that got figured out as we went along: half an apple is perfect for jamming the pointy ends in to.

Manatee meatballs

Panda Pizza.
These were just bagel bites, but I should have bought more than 2 boxes. They went fast!

Tortoisse Tortilla Chips & Salsa. (Again with the painter's tape.)

Camel Chips & Dip (my kid loves camels)

Cheetah Cheese & Crackers

Seahorse Soda and Walrus Wine

So after we played games, devoured all the food, opened all the presents, we of course had to have some cake.

Yeah, I made that.

The cake was strawberry with vanilla frosting. It was so good!

I also made Cora her own little cake using a mug cake recipe and making it in a ramekin (in the microwave).

 While we were singing to her:

Just like last year, I had to cut it first before she really dug into it.
But then there was no turning back!

Some other thoughts on this party:

• My mom bought Cora helium balloons from the Dollar Tree. A buck for each balloon, seriously the best deal in town. (Yes, the fill them for you, too.)
• From now on, I will be making sheet cakes for birthday parties because there was barely any of this cake left. Also, it is really hard to write on round cakes because there's not much area on the top.
• I will also have more chocolate for the guests. The only chocolate at this party was Cora's cake. I debated buying Zebra Cakes, but ultimately decided against it. A peanut and M&M "elephant food" mix would have been a good compromise.
• I will check my food coloring before hitting up the store. Those zebra stripes were supposed to be pink, but my pink had gotten old and had to be chucked. Ah, well.
• More bagel bites!

I'm glad my mom was here to help. Not sure if she'll ever come back for Cora's birthday again because the weather here is awful in January--and then her flight back got cancelled, of course. There was basically a blizzard happening the day of her party, but there was no way in heck I was cancelling. Everyone showed up, though! (My in-laws drove up from Indy and the first thing they said was, "We're moving your birthday to June!") And everyone had a great time. We will continue January celebrations, even if it means she is only celebrating with Mommy and Daddy and her stuffed animals.

Cora's First Birthday Party

We celebrated my little one's first birthday this past weekend. I was originally going to write a long rambling post with details, but you can glean most of it from the pictures. So I'll save my breath.

Birthday Morning

Testing out the wagon we got her, in our apartment (to cold and snowy outside). She loves it.

Invitation

We had to borrow a relative's house because of our tiny apartment.

Decoration

Monthly elephant photos hanging up (6 facing one side, 6 on the other)

Party Game

Trivia about Cora's First Year
My mother-in-law won.

Food

Oh yesss I did!
[Cut the grapes in half, and if it's a long name just do a big 1]

Cake(s)

For baby

For everyone

 (Yes, I made both of them.)

Guest of honor

She took the tiara off less than 2 seconds later.
Homemade tutu, by the way.

Singing and smashing

She's a fan.

Not sure what to call this

The Best Helper

My mom loves her granddaughter! I'm so glad she was able to be here.

Video for a short attention span

Video for a long attention span (singing/eating cake)