We Love Lily

My sweet little niece Lily belle is getting blessed this weekend. She really is so, so sweet.

And since here mommy was sick with vertigo in the final throes of pregnancy and is just as camera crazy as I am, I figured he might like to see pics from her baby shower—just days before her little gal joined our family.


It was a whole lot of fun to put together, and since I love a good party and am also super geeked when things turn out as I imagine them to be (this does not happen often with me and crafty things—I tend to bite off more than I can chew and eventually give up), I thought I'd share a few pics. Though my own baby shower days are long passed, this is how I would have imagined my dream baby shower, so I am so glad my sister-in-law and I have enough in common that I could play pretend with her life. Thanks, Mariah!

The invitations.

I found the perfect old early reader at a thrift store for $3 that yet again reminded me that I wish I had been alive in the days of bobby socks and saddle shoes (those dresses!), debated framing each sweet illustration full of the retro pinks and turquoises and yellows I love, took a deep breath and then started ripping that book to shreds. Only for a sister would I make such a sacrifice.

I did, however, save a few other retro treasures for safe keeping after using them as decoration.

We also hung baby pics of both the daddy and mommy, which was a last-minute idea that turned out to be one of the favorites.

Included in the library-themed invitations were instructions for guests to bring their favorite children's book, in lieu of a greeting card, to accompany their gift. We then had book plates on hand at the party for guests to inscribe their books for Baby Lily's memories.

If you want some of your own, check Martha Stewart.com

I also took a note from my pal Jaime who threw my own baby shower for Porter six(!) years ago and had thank you notes on hand so that guests could address their envelope in advance. If you are throwing a baby shower, do this. New moms have a whole lot to think about; tracking down addresses should not be one of those post delivery to-dos.

 Keeping with the book theme, we also went with paper flowers and tissue paper poms hanging from the ceiling, as well as a garland of alphabet flashcards (which I, sadly, did not get a picture of).

As far as the food went, I thought about doing thematic food that could be tied back to children's books, but my mom talked some sense into me and suggested we just ask Mariah what sounded good to her. Glad we did, because it turns out she had been craving one of my all time favorite dishes: thai peanut salad.

Please note: While my mom and sisters slaved away in the kitchen, I pretended to help by organizing and reorganizing piles of baby shower stuff and running through overzealous lists to  bemoan all that we still had to do. In fact, if you have seen a party on this blog, it is safe to say my mom has helped with it (with the exception of the dinosaur party, which I still have no idea how I pulled off solo). I did rally in time to help with desserts, though, if only so that I could sample as we went.

As for entertainment, Mariah requested no games, so guests completed an add-on story all about Lilybelle instead. Each guest wrote one sentence into Lily's adventure. There were also mad libs on hand, where guests gave the parents-to-be their best baby advice.

Though, to be honest, these two probably didn't need much advice.

They have been the world's coolest aunt and uncle to several lucky little kids who've come before Lily. In fact, it was Mariah who stopped an overly tired and partied out three-year-old's tantrum mid-scream with a simple offer to let her help open presents. Why didn't I think of that?

The favor bags were filled with bookmarks, bookplates and some reading snacks.

And Goldilocks finger puppets for the little ladies in attendance.

Speaking of little girls in attendance, when she wasn't throwing  a fit because I wouldn't give her another pink cookie, my own little girl spent the party singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to her other new cousin, Amelia.

Isn't she sweet? Nora asks me almost every day when we can go visit Lily and "Camelia" again.