We’re Having a…

In life, there are few things more exciting than discovering you’re carrying a new life. It’s a special season that includes attention to health, medical visits and research. Countless websites provide information on baby names and their meanings, a baby’s en utero development, as well as products to design the perfect nursery.

After a first trimester that may include odd cravings, fatigue and morning sickness, the time arrives for the much anticipated ultrasound. It is at this appointment that many hope the sex of their unborn child will be revealed. Expectant mothers enter the exam room with their ultrasound tech, hoping their little bundle of joy isn’t particularly modest on this occasion.

Learning of news as significant as the gender of your precious, little miracle in an impersonal office setting can seem rather cold to some expectant parents. As a result, many are now opting to host a Gender Reveal party to discover, as well as announce, the gender of their new addition to family and friends. With a little creativity and planning, anyone can host this popular new party occasion.

Before the ultrasound appointment date, visit your bakery to discuss the options for a decorated cake. The baker may dye the cake batter blue or pink to create colored layers or, alternatively, may use pink or blue tinted icing between the cake layers. This means the “gender reveal” is done when the cake is cut by the expectant parents at the party.

Next, contact your midwife or the ultrasound office and explain your plans for a Gender Reveal party. Make a request for the technician to seal the ultrasound findings in an envelope or ask the medical office to call your bakery after your appointment. The envelope may be entrusted to a friend to handle the details or the office will share the gender with the bakery, so the parents will be surprised by the reveal along with their guests.

Then, choose a location and begin planning your Gender Reveal party. Party themes can be as personal as the family planning it and may include a “Boy or Girl?” theme or even a “What will it ‘Bee’?” theme. The menu may be personalized by serving the expectant mom’s cravings or family members’ favorites.

If there are older siblings, there are many creative ways to honor them at the gathering. Including baby photos of other children, along with the ultrasound photo of the newest family member, can make a nice arrangement for guests to enjoy. The cake design may include cupcakes, petit fours or layers that display the names or number of your other children, with the colored, piped icing indicating their gender.

A chalkboard or displayed tally sheet for guests to cast their gender predictions will add to the party fun. Another idea is to include a voting area for boy and girl names that are being considered. Guests may wish to arrive at the event wearing colors that indicate their guess as to the baby’s gender.

As with any memorable occasion, make sure your special time is captured on camera so it can be remembered and shared. Your loved ones will cherish participating in such a warm, meaningful time. Whether you plan a small, intimate gathering or a large, festive event, a Gender Reveal party can be an unforgettable experience for all that attend.

Tambrie Kitchens enjoys exciting, adventure-filled days homeschooling her two extraordinary daughters, Gabrielle and Arabella. Together, they love finding creative ways to express hospitality while residing in Savannah, GA. Find easy entertaining ideas at: http://blessedzest.blogspot.com/

How to Make a Diaper Cake Centerpiece

A “diaper cake” resembles a traditional tiered cake, but it is made entirely out of diapers and other infant gifts the expectant mother will love.  It makes a thoughtful and fun centerpiece for a baby shower, and it’s much easier to make than you would think.  Just follow this simple “recipe”!

Ingredients:

Plastic cake plate or sturdy cardboard base

1 package infant size diapers (about 50 to 60)

Rubber bands

Ribbon (both thin curly ribbon and wide ribbon)

1 tall item to use as a stabilizer (such as a bottle of baby lotion or an 8 oz. baby bottle)

Other baby items such as washcloths, toys, bibs, socks, travel size baby toiletries, etc.

Instructions:

1. Roll all 50 diapers up and secure with a curly ribbon or a rubber band.  I prefer to use a ribbon because it  is prettier.  Rubber bands are easier to work with, so if you have arthritis or a child-helper, you might consider securing each diaper with a rubber band.  You should be able to hide most of the rubber bands at the end with the wide ribbon if you choose to use them.
2. Position your baby lotion bottle (stabilizer) in the middle of the cake plate or cardboard stand.  Surround it with one layer of rolled diapers (about 5 or 6) and secure with a rubber band.  Add a second ring of diapers (about 10) around the outside of the first ring.  You can add as many “rings” as your stand will hold, depending on how many diapers you have and how large you want your bottom tier to be.  I made 3 rings for my bottom tier.              
3. Tie a piece of wide ribbon in a bow around the outer layer of the bottom tier.  Check to make sure all rubber bands are covered.
4. The second tier is constructed exactly like the first, except that you will use fewer diapers and have less rings.  If the bottom tier has three rings of diapers, use two rings for the second tier.
5. Assemble the top tier with the remaining diapers.  It should be even smaller than the second tier.  If the stabilizing bottle you chose isn’t tall enough to provide stability for this layer, you can use a 4 oz. baby bottle, a small stuffed toy, or even a toilet paper tube for the inner layer.  Wrap this layer of diapers with the wide ribbon, just as before.
6. Decorate your diaper cake with extra baby items.  I took out a few diapers and replaced them with rolled up baby washcloths, and then added a baby blankie, infant toys, socks, and travel size baby toiletry items.  Place a cute stuffed animal, a pair of baby shoes, a teether, or another item on top of the cake as the crowning touch.

Baby Prayer Shower

In my church, we hold a very special shower for expectant mothers.  During these unique baby showers the mother-to-be is blessed with the very best gift of all:  prayer.  We share some food and fellowship and then distribute prayer requests with accompanying Scripture verses.

Shower attendees pray according to the topic they choose, allowing themselves to be guided by the Scripture, by the Holy Spirit and by the expectant mother’s own requests.  Someone opens with a word from Scripture and then the new baby and family are covered with prayers regarding everything from the birth through the baby’s future spouse.  What an encouragement!

Here are the prayer requests and scriptures from my own recent Baby Prayer Shower.  Don’t forget to allow the mom-to-be to add requests of her own to the following list!

Opening scripture:  Psalm 148: 1-4, 12-13

• Praise God for the entire family (Psalm 127:3 “Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward”)
• Praise God for this pregnancy (Psalm 139:14-15 “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made” and Psalm 128:3 “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”)
• Pray for baby’s delivery (Genesis 3:16 “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.” And Romans 8:25, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”)
• Pray for the couple as they raise this child in the fear of the Lord.  Pray for the child’s salvation. (Genesis 8:21 “…the intentions of a man’s heart is evil from his youth.” And Titus 3:5, “He has saved us, not because of righteous things we have done, but because of his mercy.”)
• Pray for the child’s infant years.  Pray also for the mother as she prepares to care for an infant, serve her family and [possibly] care for other children as well. (Matthew 25:35,40 “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink…..Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”)
• Pray for the toddler years as the child matures and develops physically. (Isaiah 58:11 “and the Lord will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters do not fail.”)
• Pray for the school years.  Pray for the parents as they train her in the fear of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way and when you lie down, and when you rise.”)
• Pray for the teenage years and young adult life. (2 Timothy 3:22 “So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace….” And Psalm 119: 10-11, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commandments.  I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against you.”
• Pray for a future spouse and children, Lord willing. (Acts 2:39 “For this promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”)

We’re Expecting A…Baby Cake

Did you just find out that you’re expecting a girl or a boy?  Frost with white frosting and serve cake slices or cupcakes as a creative way to announce the big news!

Ingredients:

1 white cake mix

Food coloring (blue or red)

Mix up the white cake mix according to directions.  Pour 2/3 of the cake mix into the prepared pan.  Mix the appropriate food coloring (you know: red/pink for girls, blue for boys) into the remaining 1/3 cake mix.  Make sure you use enough to get a strong color, or the layer will be too subtle.  If you are making a pink cake, start with just 2 drops and test the color so you don’t accidentally end up with a red layer!

Pour the blue (or pink) cake mix on top of the white mix and use a knife to gently swirl the color through the cake; don’t mix it in completely.  Bake according to directions.

When the cake is cooled, frost it with white, blue, or pink frosting of your choice.