One Wednesday, September 11, work threw me a baby shower. I knew it was going to happen (obviously) and there had been whispered conversations and random groupings of people that broke up whenever I entered a room, etc. If you don't know/remember, I work in a retirement community which has 55 apartment homes (80 residents) plus staff. I was beginning to get a sense that things might be over the top when I saw the "RSVP" card that they sent out - yes, that is a candy pacifier!
On the day of the shower, I was "banished" and told not to return from lunch until at least 1:35. When I came back, the entire lobby area was filled with residents and staff!! They'd set up a table along the back wall with punch, coffee, two kinds of cake and fruit. Everything was blue and yellow and red (the balloons are weighted with giant baby bottles!).
They had a super cute activity where people could put a dollar in a piggy bank for Daniel and then guess when he was going to be born - while I'm good with going late, I really hope it isn't the 29th!! If you wanted to pick my due date, you had to pick a time. It was a riot and apparently they are going to let people keep picking for a week or so!
This diaper wreath was made by our Sous Chef Heather (one of my good friends at work). You might remember that I had never seen a diaper wreath before the one made by Kir (click to see) so it was kind of amazing to see another one!
I'd known that the residents had been taking up a collection to purchase some of our "wish list" items and was already prepared to be amazed but I was absolutely floored to see the sheer volume of large gifts. They seriously were able to purchase ALL of the big items . . . truly wish list items! They'd opened (and assembled!!) everything and line things up along the doors to the dining room. I was SO overwhelmed that I just started crying (who me? hormonal?).
It was quite a sight. This pic is a hair blurry but you can see (from bottom right) - the stroller, car seat, baby gates, nursing items, playpen, high chair, bassinet and changing table pad. (More on the gifts in a bit).
I had to include this next picture . . . meet Dr B. He is one of the eldest residents at a youthful 93! He practiced general medicine in a town in western Kansas for about 45 years - he was the ONLY doctor for much of that time. Since the very beginning of my pregnancy, he's teased me about having twins or triplets - swearing at least once that he saw a "shadow" on my ultrasound, indicating at least 3 babies. At the shower, he said that he thought the gifts were nice be he saw no provisions for a twin birth! (Yes, he's wearing a stethoscope - you'll see why in a bit).
After some chat we all headed into the dining room to eat our cake/fruit. There were boxes that looked like onesies on the tables that were filled with peanuts and the whole room had bright decorations. Amazingly, there were more gifts for me to open . . .
Slightly blurry but still awesome pic of me and my friend Heather. She's the Sous Chef at work and the one I crib some (easy) cooking tips off of . . .
So about that drag show . . .
I found out after the fact that when the ladies were planning the shower, they were getting comments from the men that they (the men) wanted to be supportive and would give money to buy my presents but that men didn't go to baby showers and they weren't going to come. One man apparently said that never in his 8 decades had he been to a baby shower for a lady and he wasn't going to start now.
Apparently the hostess ladies decided that this was going to be a community-wide event. They started calling it a "baby celebration" instead of shower and got a bunch of guys involved in a skit for me. My boss introduced the skit by saying that they'd decided to showcase memorable aspects of my pregnancy by peeking in a maternity waiting room . . .
One by one, "ladies" arrived for checkups and they all had cravings/symptoms that I had. The first "lady" was craving Chili's fries and was sad about her expanding backside.
This "lady" was craving mashed potatoes.
This "lady" didn't want anyone to touch her tummy.
This "lady" wanted peaches and tomatoes all the time
The first "lady" being examined by the doctor - of course, played by Dr B!
Me with everyone at the end.
Posing with the (actual) ladies who hosted - they were so cute and so excited about everything.
Me and my boss
Just a few more detail pics . . . here's how the dining room looked before people arrived, are the onesies that were holding peanuts and the balloons attached to the baby bottles.
It was the most extravagant and hilarious baby shower that I'd ever been to - really, not too many people can say that there was a drag show at their shower!
You'll notice we haven't discussed the gifts much. Talk about extravagant!!! Next post . . .
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