Third Baby Shower

So, I decided to throw my best friend a third baby shower. I'm not really sure if that's something you do, but who cares? I'm at a point in my life where I feel like celebrating as much as I can, while I can. Although we are still not 100%, it does look like my family is going to make our goal of finishing deputation at the end of March 2014, which means we will be moving to Costa Rica in April! But that story is for another day. The only relevance here is that it is making me take the time I have with my loved ones more seriously.

A little back story on the Mommy-to-be (hopefully any day now as she is already over-due): she and her family are also missionaries on deputation.When their first daughter was born they were living in a a very small (one room, one bathroom) place with no storage, so as her daughter outgrew things she had to get rid of them as there was no where to keep them. Then, we both got pregnant, her with her second, a son and me with my first, a daughter. She started giving me the hand me downs (some of which I have been able to to return to her) and our families moved in to either side of a duplex our church owns, just in time for our babies to be born. This gave her a lot more space, but sadly it was too late to hang on to any baby clothes under size 9 months (which is when she started giving them to me). So, here comes round 3 for her and it's another baby girl with nothing to wear! I just couldn't let that happen, and neither could her other friends, so I threw a baby shower asking solely for cute new outfits. Here is what I did for the shower:

I kept the food simple. The menu included perminto cheese and (store bought) chicken salad on Hawaiian rolls, carrots and cucumbers with (store bought) ranch dip, strawberries, blueberries, and vanilla waifers with Dessert Dip, chilled dill pickles, cheese cubes and Ice Cream Sandwhich Cake. To drink, there was lemonade punch and coffee punch, with extra whipped cream from the cake for topping.

For games, as an ice breaker I gave everyone a few diapers and a marker to make Late Night Diapers, and I also had them fill out their address on a envelope for a thank you card. For another game I came up with questions to ask the Dad and filmed him answering them before hand, then at the party I had the Mom answer the questions and then played back his answers. We also had a sock sorting competition with the new socks going to the Mom and the grand champ winning a prize!

 Some of the guests and all of the children!

 Games and favors table

The Mommy opening her new outfits!

While the Mom was opening her gifts I gave everyone a "binkie" and the first one to finish it won a prize. 

 Me and my two best friends, all pregnant at once!

Favors! I ended up with several of the extras but didn't mind!

I think the Mom to be enjoyed it as well as all who came so I consider that a success! In another month and a half I get to co-host a boy baby shower for the girl on the left in the above picture and I'm totally looking forward to it!