We’re All Mad Here: A Baby Shower Story

January 8, 2018 Bookish Baby 16

Greetings Bookworms!
It’s a brand new year and my only resolution was to smother my baby in kisses and dress him in as many cutesy outfits as he’ll tolerate because it’s a short window until he has opinions about what he wears. But if I were in the market for doing a REAL resolution, it would involve writing some of the blog posts that have been bouncing around my brain. I thought we’d start by featuring one of my baby showers (yes, ONE of. I had two major ones, a small one from my husband’s co-workers, and more gifts and cards than you can shake a stick at. Let’s just say this is one blessed baby and the 100 pack of thank-you notes I ordered came in super handy.)

I’m a big fan of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass. I realize that’s not at all uncommon among bookish types, but nevertheless it’s true. I have a substantial Alice collection (though nothing when compared to Julz’s- her entire guest room is Alice themed and it’s GLORIOUS. It’s even cuter in person, which I’m mentioning because I feel fancy as heck for knowing this gal IRL.) Hence, two of my neighbors/book club friends/craft queens/excellent humans took it upon themselves to plan the most adorable Alice in Wonderland themed baby shower in the history of ever. MOVE OVER, PINTEREST, YOU HAVE NOTHING ON ANGIE AND EMILY. Behold.

Yes, the invitations were bookmarks!!! Also, ignore the teddy bear. I figured it would be rude to put my girl Angie’s personal phone number on the internet. I believe I shrieked and jumped up and down when I saw these.

Not even the magnificence of the invitations could have prepared me for the party that was to come, though. Every teeny tiny detail was so perfect! I’m just going to insert a zillion pics now, okay?

A brief overview of the tablescape. If you’re in Central Illinois, this was in the party room of So Chic Boutique which was cute AF.

If you have read my blog for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a sucker for flowers, particularly gardening with annuals. See some examples here, herehere, or here. One of my favorite places to shop for annuals is a local seasonal garden center which happens to be run by Emily’s mom. Total coincidence, BTW. I shopped there before I knew who owned it. If you’re in Central Illinois, Best Buds always has beautiful and unusual stock. I highly recommend them. This year, as soon as their flowers began arriving, Emily texted me to tell me about a new variety of petunia, not only because it was pretty, but also because it was named Queen of Hearts. Yeah, I bought like 6 of them for my yard. The minute I saw them on the tables at the shower, I started telling everyone, “OMG those are QUEEN OF HEARTS PETUNIAS!” She knew I’d appreciate them, and I so, so did!

Also, the Mad Hatter flower pots read 8/15- my due date. The details they put in are still boggling my mind months later. Sam, however, was born a FULL WEEK AFTER his due date. Which in hindsight is totally fine, but it led to the LONGEST WEEK OF MY LIFE.

 

The games were beyond adorable and the favors were the drink me/eat me cup and saucer with the little packets of tea. This literally could not be any cuter. It just couldn’t. Unfortunately I am crap at taking photos when I am this excited, so blurry.

This is the perfect example of how EXTRA Angie is. She painted the freaking roses red! She made these cupcakes in her own kitchen, got the frosting to look like a rose, and then airbrushed the white rose to look like it was being painted. I don’t deserve friends this awesome.

Everything was so sweet and perfect! I was completely overwhelmed by my friends’ creativity and holy smokes did the guests EVER set me up for life with Sammers. Generous would be a gross understatement. But at the very end of the party, Angie pulled the Angie-est move that has ever been Angied. That’s right, the gal who color codes her closet included a request in the invitations that guests wear blue so we could get a color coordinated photo op. I laughed so hard when I found out, but I’ve got to be honest- it turned out really nicely. In hindsight, her asking what I was planning to wear clearly had an ulterior motive…

Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and a super charming sign to cover my swollen ankles. (The sign now hangs in Sam’s room, of course. My little Wild Thing.)

 

 

L to R: Angie, me & Sam & my cankles, & Emily.

The thank you notes have long since been delivered, but reliving this shower to write this post has made me grateful all over again. BRING IT IN FOR A HUG, Y’ALL!

*If you make an Amazon purchase through a link on this site, I will receive a small commission. If you make a purchase at either of the small businesses in this post, I will receive nothing but good karma.*

16 Responses to “We’re All Mad Here: A Baby Shower Story”

  1. Megan M.

    Wow! Has she thought about being a party planner? That is amazing. I love all the details. What a special day for you and Sam.

    • wordsfor

      I can’t think of Alice without thinking of The Girl with the Cheshire Cat Tattoo!

  2. Michelle

    Wow! I’m just charmed by the pictures! My goal in life is to host a party as together and adorable and thoughtful as this. It is such a talent to be able to not only think of all those little details but do them as well.

    • wordsfor

      My mind is blown. I threw a baby shower once. The theme was “baby shower”. I don’t have this gene.

  3. Emily

    Awwwww, shucks!! It was such a beautiful day to celebrate you and Sammy? and our pleasure (totally speaking for Ang-but I am sure she won’t mind). Hugs!!!

    • wordsfor

      Well, I mean, nobody composed a theme song for Sam or anything, buuuuuuuut it was pretty darn perfect.

    • wordsfor

      Thank you! I ended up wearing dresses almost exclusively because it was summer and I’d swollen too much to fit into my maternity pants. I refused to spend much on maternity clothes though, so Old Navy was my BFF. I believe I got this dress on sale for like $15.

  4. A.M.B.

    What a wonderful baby shower! I love the petunias. I wish I could plant them in my garden, but it would just be a menu item for our deer. I’ve never been able to keep petunias longer than a few days.

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