A Flamingo Baby Shower

Did you know that flamingos lay one egg at a time? But before the egg is laid, both parents help to make the nest, carefully mounding it just right with mud and twigs and feathers. Then after the mother bird lays the egg it incubates 27-31 days, and both parents take turns sitting on the nest.

We didn’t know it either, until some of the flamingos came to us ask us to do a baby shower for one of the flock. And they wanted it in two weeks, because they had to be sure to have it before the baby was hatched. And since Felicia had just laid the egg in the nest she and Frankie had built, the flock only had two weeks to plan and have the event. 

And Karen and I were already in the middle of planning baby showers for our own daughters! “Please, PLEASE help us,” they said. “It’s important!”

So what were we to do? It’s not pretty when flamingos start crying, so we had no choice but to squeeze another baby shower into Karen’s company’s schedule. Fortunately she didn’t have anything on the books for that day so we were good! 

How to do this quick? Well, first of all there wasn’t time to print and mail invitations, and since all of the invitees  had email and Facebook accounts, digital invitations were perfect! We’d suggested the flamingos could fly to each home and deliver them, but they said they had too much to do and that would simply take too long, plus flamingos don’t really like to fly a lot!

And all of the flamingo ladies invited accepted immediately! This was going to be loads of fun! Decorating was easy, because we already had decor stored from other parties.

What to serve? Not too tough, since by now we were used to planning parties for our flamingos, and we knew what they liked, but we still had to make it a bit unique, with more appetizer items and fruit. You know, nothing heavy, because the mom-to-be had to get back to the nest for her turn incubating the egg. 

And course there had to be cakes, cupcakes, and cookies! And the cuter the better!

Only at this event, since it was a baby shower, we elected to serve an assortment of non-alcoholic punches and drinks, along with limited cocktails. Momma had to get back to her nest, you know, and she couldn’t be tipsy!

Felicia arrived right on time for the shower, leaving Frankie to take his turn on the nest while a number of his friends kept him company and fed him his favorite chilled shrimp appetizers. So everyone was happy!

And the girls had a great time! They played games, again led by Karen and me. They’d wanted to play the “How Big is the Egg?” game, a version of the popular “How Big is Mommy’s Tummy?” game, but Felicia hadn’t wanted to disturb the egg by moving it around to measure it, so that didn’t happen. After the games it was time for food, and everyone ate and ate, and then Felicia opened a huge pile of gifts! So many cute and fun things for the baby flamingo, including a baby book! (What kind of gifts do you get for a baby flamingo? We didn’t know, but her friends did, and they were perfect!)

Everyone kept an eye on the time, and when it was time to leave all the guests signed the guestbook, gathered up their shower favors, and took Felicia back to the nest where she showed Frankie and their friends all their goodies for their first hatchling, who would be arriving in a few days.

It was a great day, and a great party!

And a week later we received pictures of the newest flamingo, hatched just three days after the baby shower.

Isn’t she precious? Now eat lots of yummy shrimp, little one, and soon you’ll begin to look like mommy and daddy, and you can join them on their adventures!

Photo Sources: 1st Row: designMyParty; Pinterest; Dazzle Expressions – 2nd Row: via Pinterest – 3rd Row: Pixabay; Pinterest- 4th Row: via Pinterest – 5th Row: via Pinterest- 6th Row: via Pinterest – 7th Row: via Pinterest; via Etsy- 8th Row: storytender.com

A Party Just for Us!

Wasn’t today just the most fun day??? My grandmother and your friends really gave us a wonderful baby shower. Yes, us! You wouldn’t have had the party if it weren’t for me. I’m not bragging or anything, but it was my first real party, and it was great! At least it sure sounded like it! I can’t wait to see the pictures!

The food was sure good, and I’m so glad you were able to eat today. I’m sorry I’m still making you sick all the time, but I can’t help it, so please don’t be upset with me. But we did get to enjoy some of the yummy stuff. The shrimp was delicious, even though I only got a little taste. I know I’m going to enjoy that when I’m older. The sandwiches were good, and the chips, and of course you loved the gummy worms, although I’m not that crazy about them.

2016-04-02 11.56.41Now the cupcakes….oh my, they were delicious!!! I needed more of those! I heard my grandmother giving you some to take home, and I know I’ll get more!! I think I’m going to like dessert as much as you do!!

I heard all the excitement when you started playing games. Everybody was talking at once, but I heard a lot of what was going on. Your friend was asking you questions about what my daddy had said about me, and you got almost all of them right! You and Daddy know each other really well, don’t you?! I know he’s got to be special, because he’s my very own Daddy, and you love each other so much, God is blessing you with me! He chose me just for you two, you know!

2016-04-02 14.45.59There was another game I remember when everyone was trying to guess how big your tummy is…..with me in here! I’m the size of a coconut right now, so I’m getting bigger, and so are you. When your friend was measuring you I wasn’t sure whether to see how little I could make myself, or stretch out to make your tummy HUGE!! Your friend tickled me when she was touching your tummy, and I couldn’t stay still! That was fun!

I heard you talking about how many presents there were piled up for you to open! You were so surprised about how many there were. Your friends must really love us to give you so many great gifts! I heard you talking about the clothes, and sheets, and blankets, and toys….and hair bows…there was so much you couldn’t get it all home in one trip!!!

I liked the poem your friend read to you when you opened her gifts. And so did her baby that’s inside of her tummy. He and I will be really good friends, you know.

There was also a special gift for you, and a very special card. Your grandmother had your mother give me the silver comb and brush set that she’d given you when you were born, a baby blanket she’d made for you, as well as a couple of books she’d given you. And she had your mother write this card from her:

“My precious granddaughter, I may not be here today with you physically, but I am always with you in spirit. I have been watching over you, and also watching over your precious daughter Rachel. She’s beautiful, and I cannot wait for you to meet her. I know you will be a wonderful mom, and Chris will be a great dad. The gifts in this bag I gave to you when you were born, and now I’m passing them on to my great granddaughter. Be sure to tell her about me. I love you so much, and I am so proud of you. You have exciting days ahead of you! Love, Grandmom”

I know you were about to cry when you started reading it, Mommy, but it’s ok. Your grandmother will always love you, and she’s so excited for us!

2016-04-02 16.14.35

I wish I could’ve watched Daddy when my grandmother’s friend was giving him all that funny stuff in that tool box to use when he was changing my diapers. I really need to see those pictures! I’m sure he’ll do a good job, though. He’s going to be a good Daddy…the best!I’m falling asleep now. It’s been so much fun today! Not much longer, Mommy, before we see each other’s faces. That will be the best moment ever!!

I love you!

XOXOXOXOXO

Baby Shower Treats

You read a few weeks ago about my being a frustrated baker. Well this frustrated baker was busy again last week “baking” up goodies for our daughter’s baby shower. As well as actually concocting a few edible goodies as well.

My basic philosophy on doing special parties is, if you’re going to do it, make it special, and make it memorable. Pinterest is certainly one of my favorite inspirations, and I scoured through many, many different ideas before deciding on what to finally do…..

Since our Saturday blogs are usually about food, I’m not going to dwell on the decorating aspects. But I do have to say this “frustrated baker” had a great time creating edible as well as non-edible culinary delights! With a little help from a few friends with the actual REAL cakes!

In planning the shower, one of the first things I needed to decide on was how to make the food fit with the theme. And since the mom-to-be’s theme was “beach princess” it gave me a bit of a challenge to come up with the right names for the food. After all, you can’t just call them sandwiches and chips!

So the chicken salad croissants became “crabby croissants” with the addition of some handmade crab eyes. Gummy worms, one of the mom’s cravings, became gummy eels. Dipped pretzel sticks became pretzel fishing rods. Colored chocolate drops became sea pearls. And chips and dip…well, “take a dip” signs were very appropriate! Along with a bowl of goldfish crackers. The steamed shrimp, well that didn’t need a label! Homemade sand dollar cookies were also one of the desserts.

 

We were also blessed with two very special and delicious cakes! The beach princess cupcake dress was complete with a beachy mermaid crown, starfish tiara, and burlap shell and pearl sash, all of which will be utilized in Baby Rachel’s first photo shoot. The two-tiered beach cake made by one of the mom-to-be’s friends featured real painted shells, and a very special beachy hair bow, all of which we were careful to tell her NOT to eat!

 

But the two main non dessert items that this frustrated baker contributed were a fabulous (if I do say so myself!) four-tier diaper cake, as well as an array of diaper and onesie cupcakes.

I will share the “recipe” for my diaper cake below, but please, if you’re going to attempt one, don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. It took me a few attempts to master the art. Feel free to email me if you have questions.

Recipe for Ashley’s Diaper Cake

90-100 newborn diapers
Paper towel roll (empty)
Curling ribbon
Decorative hat pins with colored heads
Decorative 1-1 ½” wide grosgrain ribbon
1 cake-shaped bank (from Target)
6-8 pacifiers in colors to match shower theme
Decorative baby socks, floral headbands, assorted ribbon flowers or silk flowers
String of decorative pearls (from craft store – I got mine from Hobby Lobby)
Paper crinkles
Clear plastic plate to “serve” cake on

I arranged the diapers in the bottom three tiers of a set of four tiered cake pans. Place ov2012-04-17_23-19-09_206erlapping diapers, 40 in bottom pan, 30 in next, and 20 in the next one. If you think you need a few more, add those as well. Tie tightly together with the curling ribbon so that when you “dump” them out, they won’t fall apart. As you take them out, place them on the cake plate with the paper towel roll in the middle to hold them together. You should easily stack three layers around one roll. For this particular cake I added a second roll, cut it the proper height, and stuck it in the other one. Be sure to use double sided tape on the bottom of the cake plate to attach the layers or it’ll slide off!

The floral bank was the top layer on this one, and I was able to stick it on the paper towel roll because of the hole in the bottom for the money. For the bank topper I’d found a princess tiara crown on a headband, and stuck the band part through the money slot on top. But you can be creative and find something equally as great.

Now that it’s assembled, decorate as desired. Use the grosgrain ribbon to wrap around the layers to hide the curling ribbon. Pin it together in the back of the cake with the colored pins.

Decorate with the pacifiers, socks, headbands, silk flowers, etc. Place the paper crinkles as “icing” between layers and around the base of the cake. Drape the decorative pearls in each layer, stuffing a bit of them between the layers to hold them in place.

Be creative! It’s fun! And if you need more help, there are lots of videos on line to assist you. And if you do make one, please let us see it!

Here are just a few more decorations! (Sorry, couldn’t resist! Remember, it’s our first grandchild!)