Baby Shower!
Last weekend, I was honored to give my sister-in-law Deb a baby shower. She and Jeff (Rob's brother) are expecting a baby boy next month, so we are all very excited! We had fifteen of Deb's family and friends share in the fun "tea party-ish" shower. As I prepared for the shower, I did quite a bit of searching online for baby shower ideas, especially games to play. I must say I was a little disgusted--or confused--by some of the game ideas. Here are the top five I found:
5. Baby Food Tastes - In this game, the mom-to-be is blindfolded and required to take bites of baby food in order to guess the food. Not only does it seem cruel to make teeth-bearing adults eat mashed beef and peas, but it is also quite a waste!
4. Birthing Babies - Actually, this is one I remembered my mom using at a shower she gave, but it stands out to me as a top five. For this activity, each attendee is given a cup of ice water. One of the ice cubes in the cup is special, however - there is a tiny plastic baby frozen inside of it. The first woman to have her baby "born" (thawed) is named the winner.
3. Cotton Ball Count - I'm still trying to understand why this is considered a baby shower game. It is, of course, quite simple: a jar is filled with cotton balls, each woman guesses how many are in the jar, and the one closest to the correct number wins. I think just about anything would be more interesting than guessing the number of cotton balls.
2. Place the Baby on the Mommy - For some reason, this one turns my stomach because I automatically think of something being "pinned" and not gently placed. Each guest is given a paper baby that has adhesive on the back side and sticks it on the mom-to-be. The guest that "pins" the baby on the tummy wins. Perhaps just a little bit awkward?
1. And number one: Guess the "Poopie" - A diaper that has been soiled with a melted candy bar is passed around and guests must guess--using smell and taste--the candy bar in the diaper. All I can say is, Gross!
Needless to say, I went with the paper games: quizzes and a word scramble. Honestly, I know games can be a great way to break the ice, but I'm glad that this group got well along enough without anything too crazy. In the photo above, Deb seems quite happy as she opens gifts.
5. Baby Food Tastes - In this game, the mom-to-be is blindfolded and required to take bites of baby food in order to guess the food. Not only does it seem cruel to make teeth-bearing adults eat mashed beef and peas, but it is also quite a waste!
4. Birthing Babies - Actually, this is one I remembered my mom using at a shower she gave, but it stands out to me as a top five. For this activity, each attendee is given a cup of ice water. One of the ice cubes in the cup is special, however - there is a tiny plastic baby frozen inside of it. The first woman to have her baby "born" (thawed) is named the winner.
3. Cotton Ball Count - I'm still trying to understand why this is considered a baby shower game. It is, of course, quite simple: a jar is filled with cotton balls, each woman guesses how many are in the jar, and the one closest to the correct number wins. I think just about anything would be more interesting than guessing the number of cotton balls.
2. Place the Baby on the Mommy - For some reason, this one turns my stomach because I automatically think of something being "pinned" and not gently placed. Each guest is given a paper baby that has adhesive on the back side and sticks it on the mom-to-be. The guest that "pins" the baby on the tummy wins. Perhaps just a little bit awkward?
1. And number one: Guess the "Poopie" - A diaper that has been soiled with a melted candy bar is passed around and guests must guess--using smell and taste--the candy bar in the diaper. All I can say is, Gross!
Needless to say, I went with the paper games: quizzes and a word scramble. Honestly, I know games can be a great way to break the ice, but I'm glad that this group got well along enough without anything too crazy. In the photo above, Deb seems quite happy as she opens gifts.
Deb, Debbie, and I relax for a moment after the shower. All in all, the shower was a success and a lot of fun. Robby and I can't wait for our little nephew to come!
Ew! I read about an even grosser game. Several diapers, stained with real poop are hung up and each person guesses what baby had for dinner. A little too Shrek, don't you think?
ReplyDeleteHave added your link to my list of family blogs. =)
ReplyDeleteThanks for everything! Little Fuzzy is healthy and lively and ready to come out mid-Feb.
Hello, Candace! Welcome to Blogland!
ReplyDeleteI certainly enjoyed the shower. Thank you so much for being the wonderful hostess you are. Thank you too for NOT playing those games!