A brand new, bouncing baby boy or girl is due to arrive on the scene of your life sometime soon. Whether the little angel is yours, a friend's or a family member's, they will touch your life in ways you never thought possible. To celebrate the arrival of a new child, many choose to host or throw a baby shower. These parties are intended to express joy and excitement about the baby to come, as well as help the family prepare for the birth through gifts. If you are thinking about throwing a baby shower, there are a couple of things to consider.
First, what does the couple need? If this is their fifth kid, they may not need a crib, glider or changing table. However, they probably need some more of the essentials, like diapers, wipes, ointment and blankets. For families expecting a new little brother or sister, cute things to help them make memories, like picture frames or photo albums can be an excellent gift. However, if this is the expectant couple's first child, consider banding together the baby shower's attendees to contribute to a larger, more expensive gift, like a crib.
Next, you should think about what kind of baby shower you would like to throw. Traditional baby showers include the mother to be, and close female friends and relatives. It is typically decorated with pastel decor, and the food is usually served luncheon style. However, with dad's becoming more and more involved in pregnancy and parenting (from a hands-on perspective), the rules are changing. It is now completely acceptable, and sometimes encouraged, to have the daddy-to-be present at the baby shower. Men are more than welcome, and it is considered the first family affair, even if the child isn't (technically) participating yet.
Activities at a baby shower should also be considered. Are you looking to do cake, champagne and a gift exchange? Are you interested in playing games? Baby shower games can be a lot of fun if done right. You can have attendees guess the delivery date, or the weight and length of the baby on the way. You can measure the circumference of an obliging guest of honor to have people guess the size of the baby bump. Other games include racing to see who can empty a jar of baby food into a bottle neck with a baby spoon the fastest, or who can identify certain scents wrapped up in diapers. All of these baby shower games can be fun, but it is important to think about who is on your guest list before having them play along. There is no need to push people into doing something they don't want to.