Back in April, I helped to host a baby shower. But it was not just any baby shower. It was a shower for a surprise baby! One of the sweet couples at church recently had the (sweetest) surprise of a lifetime...a precious baby girl!
Susan had not been feeling well one Sunday at church. She sits directly in front of me, and I watched her come and go during worship, obviously uncomfortable. The next morning, she posted a prayer request on Facebook. She was at the ER trying to find out why she was in great pain. Several hours later, she posted that they had discovered she was pregnant...and in LABOR!
Susan and Bart are the sweetest couple. They didn't think they would ever be blessed with kids, so imagine their surprise when they found out they were expecting a baby...to be born that night! Lillah Karen was born on Leap Day!
Everyone at church caught their breath and started pulling out things to meet their immediate needs like diapers, a basinet and a car seat. I knew I wanted to help throw an "official shower" and thought my sweet bunnies from Easter would be the perfect jumping off point. Twenty ladies in all signed up to help with the shower. I asked to handle the decorations.
"Some Bunny Special" was my theme. As you entered the Fireplace Room (where we host showers at our church), there was a little table containing the book "Guess How Much I Love You" and a chalkboard reading "Somebunny Loves Me".
We used this in lieu of a guest book. Each guest signed the pages as she entered, leaving a lovely record of who attended the shower. Something Susan can see each time she reads this book to Baby Lillah!
One of the hostesses made a precious sock corsage out of pink and white baby's dress socks. There is also a little monogrammed "L" pin that can be attached to a headband. So sweet!
My Miss Manners buddy, Nancy, was hosting a wedding shower at her home right before this one, so I knew many ladies would be traveling between the two. We decided all we needed was petite fours, nuts, fruit and some raspberry lemonade.
Here's a closeup of the food table. You'll remember the picket fence baskets and vintage-looking bunnies from my Easter 2016 Tablescape. I did have to change out the grass. This time I found a flat of red thyme on sale at Lowe's for $3! A whole flat! This has already been put into my herb garden. A chalkboard reading "Somebunny Sweet" sets the stage for the delicious petite fours!
One of Susan's best friends brought me the bud vase with two roses right before the shower. The delicate pure white roses symbolize Bart and Susan's mothers, both of which are gone. It was a bittersweet reminder of these dear women.
The pink and yellow tablerunners were made from fabric I "shopped" for in my fabric closet. I think I had bought about 1.5 yards of this pique on sale several years ago but then decided it was to bright and bold for tiny toddler Jewell. I knew it would come in handy one day!
The petite fours are made at a local bakery by one of our elder's wives. They are the best I've ever had! I served them on my round white "Drss Me Up" platter by Southern Living at Home. The green ribbon ties in with the grapes and plants, as well as just breaks up the bright pink and yellow.
Grapes and strawberries balance the sweet cakes and salty nuts.
Store-bought raspberry lemonade added a little color.
Here's a close-up of the floral arrangement. I use a large hurricane vase and placed a small clear glass inside. Fresh, unpeeled carrots were placed around the inner glass. A bird's nest fern I recently bought for my home sits on top. Just like the greens of a carrot! Of course I got the idea from Pinterest. But I think the bird's nest fern was the PERFECT topper.
I made a string of paper rabbits to attach to the food and gift tables. I found the pattern online and cut them out. They're tied to a twine string. It just adds another layer! I used scrapbook paper that I had in my stash.
The bunny bottoms bunting (say that three times fast!) was from Easter. We needed something on the fireplace behind where Susan was sitting. I use one of the white ceramic rabbits I had brougt for the gift table, along with a pretty pink and green plant that one of the Miss Manners girls had given me the day before as a hostess gift. Just a little something to fill the space.
A hanging chalkboard was turned on it's side for the gift table. "Somebunny blessed" didn't begin to describe all the gifts Susan and Baby Lillah received!
Each first baby at University Church receives a hand-made quilt. This one has squares embroidered with classic baby toys. I placed a big coffee pot on the end of the gift table and draped the quilt over it so it could be admired as well as serve as part of the decorations.
The shower was very well attended! Everyone was so excited to share in this excited (and unexpected) event.
Mama opens gifts while Aunt Jenni loves on Lillah!
The guest of honor, Lillah Karen.
Bart and Susan have such a wonderful story to share with Lillah one day. I was so glad I got to help welcome her to the world and to our University church family.
I'm so glad you stopped by my neck of the woods!
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