I heard that being pregnant in the summer is like wearing a wool sweater in hell. When we were finally graced with cool air, I threw my friend Carla an autumn-themed baby shower.
Like many parents of second children, she didn’t want her party to be a big to-do. I kept it simple. Like any good shower, I made it short, served ample food and kept the booze flowing!
I used harvest classics for decor, such as scarecrows, pumpkins and gourds. An earthy sari was used as a tablecloth, with brown and orange paisley.
As mentioned in a previous post, people love to play with their food, so we had a waffle station. The waffle flavor? Pumpkin spice, of course! I also made truffle-roasted acorn squash, to keep it seasonal. I still added classics, such as fresh fruit, French press coffee, and in a fun twist, I made cheesy Eggs Florentine cups using muffin tins. My husband Robert, an avid curer and smoker of meats, passed around samples of his homemade bacon, accented with a hint of Chinese Five Spice.
Whenever throwing a party where kids can tag along, it’s best to keep them engaged and independent from their parents. Adults deserve to kick back a bit. I laid out picnic blankets in the yard for them to dine on, along with a plethora of outdoor activities, such as a ball pit, tents and a slide. Those with pets must be sure to scoop up any droppings first!
People seem to be split into two camps regarding games, but I shamelessly love them. I did a music trivia game, with all songs having the word “baby” or “girl” in the title. Ice Ice Baby and Baby Got Back were crowd-pleasers, especially with the children. Their ears perked up when they heard, “I like big butts and I cannot lie,” and we didn’t hear the end of it. Trivia winners scored limited-edition OPI nail polish and could choose their favorite colors. We also had a Hey Girl Hey photo booth.
Instead of cake, I made a pyramid of Rice Krispies Balls, dipped into melted white chocolate that was dyed pink. Guests even took home wrapped packages of these as a party favor.
Carla deserved to kick back and cool off, and this party did just that.
Fayeruz Regan 