A Sip & See for Baby Haley

Tammy and Little Miss Haley Ann

I love Love LOVE being an auntie and having sisters that I can truly call best friends!

One of my older sisters, Tammy, recently gave birth to her second child, a beautiful baby girl. Tammy and her husband were pretty nervous about the female addition to their “tomboy” family. So, I have made it my responsibility to help the inner girlie side of my sister be released! (Notice above - dress, heels and makeup :))

Tammy deserves the best the world can give! She is an AMAZING woman, sister, mom, friend, daughter… the list really could go on and on! So, I thought I’d test out my showering skills on her with a girlie little sip & see for baby Haley.

Now, if you have never hosted a shower, you might not think about all of the last minute preparations that come up. In my case, I thought about it, then got busy. One of my little sisters came for a visit and a birthday celebration the night before the big shower. We decided, as I think most people would agree, that her turning a year older meant that we needed to party our tails off and so we did. And let me tell you, the grocery store trip at 7am the next morning was quite entertaining ;)

So, here it is in all its glory. The shower and the lessons learned:

1. Plan. Plan. Plan.

I of course chose Pinterest to help me organize for the big day. Everyone organizes differently, but if you are in the need for inspiration – this is a great way to find it. Here’s the board I created.

2. Shop. Shop. Shop

Shop early. Get as much food as you can as soon as you can and pick up fun and useful decor.

We chose pjs, baby hangers, shoes, toys, books, blocks, etc. to hang around. They all made easy decorations and all came in handy for the special Momma when she took them home.

3. Prep. Prep. Prep.

Prep as much as possible early on. My wonderful mother helped me with preparations pre-party day. You would be shocked at how much time some of your projects will take!

The diaper cake was super easy! Mom and I made it early in the week. It was our first ever attempt at a diaper cake, so tutorials came in handy. Try this one or this one.

The candy pacifiers and stuffed pea pods seemed like they'd be easy breezy. Not so much. They take up quite a bit of time, but they are so worth it! Mom and I wanted our pacifiers to be edible so we opted for frosting instead of hot glue like the tutorial suggested. While this made for a tasty result, it does take a lot longer so just be sure to get them done a few days before the party.  The pea pods were so delicious! I'd suggest making them the night before and refrigerating. It will free your mind and your hands up the day of the party. 

4. Recruit. Recruit. Recruit.

Thank goodness for my helpers! Mom, Theresa, Michelle & George! You all really helped me get my act together in the end!

Thanks, Mom!

5. Spread. Spread. Spread.

Spread your imagination to create a unique spread. You'll find new ideas out of everyday recipes and objects.

Make a table runner out of napkins by adding tape to the back of them. 

Fill a mini ice cream cone with bananas and top with a chocolate dipped strawberry to make baby cones.  Great thinking, Mom! These were delish! 

Since most of my intended recipes didn't end up panning out. I had to get creative with what I had. Toasted baguettes topped with cucumber and hummus did the trick. I also added some chocolate animal crackers; and with a quick run back to the store we were able to create a pita, cheese, and deli platter in no time.

We used cloth diapers, burp rags and mini clothes pins to create fun bunting. Each "diaper" had a photo of baby Haley's immediate family members. It was fun to see who she was beginning to resemble the most.

6. Snap. Snap. Snap.

Take photos! Keep a camera close by or assign someone else to photography duties. These photos will be great additions to the baby book.

While I think the shower turned out wonderfully and no one would probably know that I goofed up unless of course I opened my big mouth – which of course I’m doing - I want all of you hostesses out there to know that there are always other options. Everything does not have to be perfectly how it was planned. So just breathe and remember, there is always a grocery store close by with deli meat and a slicer just in case you decide to pretend you are in college the night before;)

P.S. Happy Birthday, Theresa!