Yesterday I helped to host a baby shower for my little sister, Valeri, who I still picture as a five-year-old tomboy, wearing a Beauty and The Beast dress in the hall bathroom of the house on Maple. Now she’s all grown up and carrying a real, live baby in her belly. I don’t know how this happened, but I am ready to pop with joy at the idea of a brand new niece.

When it comes to baby shower food, presentation is everything. I assembled these cute little popcorn boxes for the guests to snack on as we celebrated the mom to be.

Okay so maybe that whole “presentation is everything” thing didn’t quite translate to the cupcake display. Blast you, store bought frosting.

We had a lovely room of guests in my mom’s living room. Chatting with one another, sharing the happy and horrific stories of motherhood.

There were even some adorable, outside babies along for the festivities. This is my other niece who loved all of the gushy, baby hungry attention going around.

No expecting mother can genuinely enjoy the opening of her generous gifts without the proper headwear. Using a few baby things I picked up at the dollar store, I fashioned this monstrosity and made her wear it the entire time she was opening her presents.

And boy oh boy was there a bounty of gifts to prepare her for the new addition. Baby bouncers, baby wipes, a diaper genie, and the most adorable clothes.

One last check on the fun game of putting a plastic baby in an ice cube to see “when it’s born” during the party.

I’d say that the pooped mama is toting around something a wee bit larger than this creepy plastic baby.