Baby Shower ~ October 24

One of the sweetest things about sharing with my girlfriends that I was pregnant was sharing in their joy for me. Immediately after they were done shrieking with joy, they began offering to throw me a shower later in my pregnancy. It warmed my heart so much when they actually began planning one! Many of my friends joined together to throw my first shower, held on a Sunday afternoon in October.

I helped select the design for the invitation (done by my friend Sarah) and the girls carried the “B is for Baby” theme throughout the shower with the food (“C is for Cupcakes” etc.) and all the decor. It was an adorable theme and they executed it so well! (This invitation will be similar to the baby announcement we use when the kiddo gets here!)

My sweet hostesses were…    

Kindra Adams – When we moved to Nashville in 2004 Bronce and I met Kindra and her husband, Jason… they were our neighbors 3 doors down! We became fast friends and have been able to keep in close contact since we moved back to Knoxville in 2008. (picture below)

Catherine Bobo – my mom’s best friend and the mom of my oldest and dearest friend, Robin. Catherine lives in Pennsylvania and was unable to be at the shower, but she loved me well from a distance.

Katie Boerema – a long-time friend from college and career (we were both pharma reps for Merck for many, many years together). We’ve stayed close even though we haven’t lived in the same town since 2003! She also offered to carry my camera all afternoon so I’d end up with some pictures – something she wasn’t super comfortable with but she did a fabulous job!! (picture of us together below)

Jane Hanson – my mom :) Since the hostesses were all from outside Knoxville, mom graciously stepped in to be the local coordinator. She did a lot of the groundwork and helped make the day incredibly special. (picture below, with Dad and Bronce)

Sarah Pattison – She and her husband have become great friends of ours – we were in a couples small group together for years and our husbands are in a men’s small group together now. She offered her skills at graphic design (seriously… she’s amazing… check her business The Happy Envelope) to custom design an invitation for the shower.

Robin Redding – I’ve known her since I was a toddler, we grew up on the same street, our moms are best friends… she’s the dearest friend I have and I was so touched that she offered to help with the shower even though she lives 8 hours away and would be unable to join us!

The shower was held in the outside courtyard at Fellowship Church on a beautiful warm Sunday afternoon. The girls did an amazing job making the tables personalized and dressing up the food and gifts areas.

They had this awesome vase filled with white branches set up with a station for people to write down their blessings for me and the baby on little paper nests to be hung from the branches. Going through those notes later was the sweetest thing and I’ll treasure them in the baby’s scrapbook.

 

Lots of sweet friends came out to share the afternoon. Jennifer is due to deliver a little boy, Luke, the day before my due date.

A group of friends came out from Fulton – Kathy, Olivia, Ashley, and Amber. It was fun to see them outside of work and I was touched by how far some of them traveled to come!

Katie (due just a few weeks after me!), Sarah, Jennifer, and Mom. Notice that in the center of each table you can see mementos from Bronce and my baby years. Pictures, outfits, stuffed animals, etc. – all of these things were scattered around for everyone to enjoy.

Mom’s good friend Cheryl (who made the baby a beautiful white afghan), Bronce’s grandmother “Mamaw,” Mom, and Kindra:

Lauren, Melissa, and sweet little Nonavea…

 

Dad designed this beautiful cupcake display after one I saw online. He did a beautiful job!

Robin really wanted to come to the shower (I insisted she wait to make the long journey once the baby is actually here!) so in her absence she sent this amazing diaper cake. Usually these are made with regular disposable diapers but since I’m doing cloth she made it out of burp cloths (which she personalized with beautiful fabrics and ribbons), washcloths, and bibs. This is one of the best gifts I’ve received in terms of practicality! It was beautiful and I hated to take it apart!

 

Mom signed (well, stitched) this cross-stitch when she made it back in 1980 – the year I was born! It hung in my nursery when I was a baby. A few weeks after the shower she and I had it re-matted and framed and it will hang in my baby’s nursery, too. It’s still so beautiful!

And of course, every shower involves the opening of gifts. Here are a few shots of the amazing things my friends gifted to me.

This is one of those adorable hooded towels. It has a monkey face on it and is so plush!

Dustin gave me these precious bibs – each is embroidered for a different holiday throughout the year (plus a cute UT bib!).

Bumbo! :)

It was a beautiful afternoon and I was so blessed by the turnout of friends and family. This whole season has been an amazing way to see those sweet friends and family that surround us and love Bronce and me so well.