Shower time!

I just went to my 3rd of the five showers I plan to attend this "season." I say season because it seems all of my friends celebrated the end of summer by getting themselves impregnated by their adoring husbands, so the season of baby is upon us. Just like the birds and the bees, my friends are bringing on the babies this spring so it's time to set up the list of MUST DOs when it comes to future showers. Here are my top four:

1. Plan your menu ahead of time and remember, you're serving a meal for adults, they're hungry and if you have any wine on the menu, people will need to eat!

That baby's not here yet folks so that means your all adult guest list is going to be hungry for adult food. Leave the peanut butter finger sandwiches to junior and let's get some real food on the table. If it's a late morning, early afternoon event, quiche and salad, with fruit tarts and fresh berries and yogurt is perfect for your group. That plus mimosas equals full bellies who are ready to face the day. If you're doing a lunch or mid-afternoon shower, try a caesar or Greek salad with chicken salad sandwiches and salmon tarts, cupcakes and champagne cocktails to satisfy lunch hour. Or if you're one to shower at night, try something a little more substantial, crab cakes and mini beef wellington pastries, or have some fun with cheese burger sliders and pulled pork sandwiches with crisp cilantro slaw. Finish off your menu with decadent flowerless chocolate cake slices and spiked coffee to start your evening off right. Finally, by all means, cater the party if you're not one to cook! I for one know it's hard work to make it all yourself, but it was worth it for me and I had the time and desire to do it. That being said, it's a great idea to order from your favorite restaurant and see what they would suggest for your group.

2. Decorate with fresh flowers, they go a long way.

Not only do they fit into any color scheme, flowers offer the perfect "final" touch element to your home or table. Mini roses and babies breath make perfect accents to your table and they can double as prizes or favors should you choose to offer them to your guests.

3. Have games as an option but don't stop the party to play.
If your shower is trucking right along, people are eating and drinking, having a great time, then by all means, let it continue. Sure, games can be fun, but nothing kills a shower or a any get together for that matter like someone stopping the fun to guess how many safety pins are in the jar. I like the idea of setting up stationary games on a table and having guests have the option to play or not play. Guess baby's birthday, Guess how many _____are in the jar, and Baby madlibs are great for getting guests in the baby shower spirit without making them feel like they have to participate in an "active" game. Trivias and baby bingo are great ways to get people settled in once they've gathered to watch gift opening activities. It incorporates the guests and allows them to get excited over baby bottles and countless receiving blankets.

4. Open gifts, but maybe just a little.
Everyone knows that the purpose for showers is not only to celebrate the excitement and joy of new parents welcoming baby into their lives, but also to shower them with the many things that they are sure to need for their upcoming addition. However, opening breast pumps, bottle sterilizing racks and receiving blankets by the dozens can be a yawn for guests, especially if you have a larger shower and there are piles of gifts to open. I recently saw a shower where guests were asked (via the invitation) to bring a book for baby's first library or momento for the mom to be, and that is what she opened in front of her guests. Any gifts that were purchased from the registry were sent to the parents' home so that they could start setting up their nursery for baby. It seemed like the perfect way for guests to personalize a gift and helped keep it a little interesting for all to see.

This is of course, just a start to what can help make a baby shower a must attend. The final to do is to have fun. It's a time of celebration and joy, so clink your glass of champagne against their glass of pink tinted lemonade, and help them set off on their epic journey as parents. They might just extend the offer to hold your shower in the future.