Saturday was my daughter's baby shower hosted by her mother and sister in law, Pat and Kim. Tara doesn't like surprises and so she was able to give input and watch as we prepared the festivities. It was a good day for her and I was glad because she has still been having trouble with morning sickness and light headedness. I got up early to make her favorite Swedish meatballs.. 120 in all. Thank goodness for the melon baller that kept them uniform and also kept my hands from touching the sticky mixture. I chilled some red, white, and blush wine for the attendants... a brand called Barefoot... which featured a baby's footprint on the labels. Then I headed to Cosco for the carrot cake and the shrimp platter... what a nice job they did with that! It was inexpensive as well as convenient! I cried a little writing the note on Tara's card, as I tied the message to her gifts. One was a treasured music box that shows a young mother holding a baby in her arms and behind her dress is a little girl. The song is "Turn Around" and the lyrics (which I printed) talk about babies growing up and when you turn around they are having their own babies... of course the lyrics are more touching than that. When my mom presented the identical music boxes to my sister Bonnie and I one Christmas after our daughters were born, we both went into instant tears upon opening our gifts. Tara was touched as well, and I'm glad she didn't read her card at the shower as it was personal. I also found a frilly rosebud dress so similar to the one that my mom Wiggy bought for Tara's christening. My mom wanted to be sure Tara was going to be a girly girl to offset the other grandma's choice of "tomboy" clothes... overalls and boys tee shirts. Though Tara likes to dress up, she is not one for frilly clothes... if I get my way, Annabel will be outfitted in frilly clothes befitting a fairy princess! Pat brought a chicken salad wrap platter, cold cuts and rolls. She also made a punch with Hawaiian punch, Sprite, and orange sherbet which was delicious and reminded me of the punch I drank as a child at a relative's home. Pat's friends made pasta salad, coleslaw, potato salad, and homemade cookies. Kim arranged some amusing games like baby trivia facts, pin the pacifier on the baby, and guess the girth of the mom to be. We all had to estimate with plastic ribbon Tara's true size. Pat's mom won with a perfect measurement! Tara got great gifts, but more importantly, all the ladies there seemed to have a special admiration for my lovely daughter. There was plenty of good natured female banter and lots of laughs! I am so grateful to Pat and Kim, and Gerry's daughter Erica for putting such time and effort into a splendid celebration.
