There's a baby a'comin party!

by Erin

About a week ago my friend Danielle and I threw a baby party for our dearest friends Lisa and Patrick. Lisa is pretty much the cutest easy goin' pregnant gal you could imagine.  She had only two requests when we asked her what she wanted in a baby shower: boys and girls shall both be invited, sweets were a must - as were cocktails.   How do you like that?  Love it! 

So anyway here is the bad news.  In our flurry of setting up and visiting with Lisa and Patrick's lovely friends and family, neither of us took any photos.  Fortunately Lisa took some good ones of her nursery after the fact (more on that after the food) and Dan took this cute one of us below.    That's Danielle on the left feeding Lisa some sort of gummy item.  There's that short girl on the right. :)  I told you Lisa was cute, didn't I?

Danielle, Lisa, & Erin with the candy bar in the background

So anyway, I still thought it might be nice to have our menu out there in cyber, test-nest space for anyone that needs any baby party appetizer ideas.  I've tried to link to any recipes I can.  Danielle and I split the jobs down the middle so it didn't end up being a ton of work for either of us, especially since we both started earlier in the week.  

Menu

• Sour cream coffee cake cupcakes infused with cream cheese frosting - rescued from Danielle and Jason's kitchen table by another guest coming from Pilsen. Whew!
• Bacon wrapped dates
• Ricotta and herb dip 
• Lil' Assholes - pickles wrapped in cream cheese and ham
• Jalapeno and cheddar crackers
• Veggie tray - celery, carrots, radishes, mozzarella balls, grape tomatoes 
• Savory palmiers
• Spicy Hungarian sausage from Lincoln Quality Meat Market
• Hummus
• French bread
• Hot apple cider 
• The CANDY bar

I'm feeling like I am forgetting something delicious.  Ugh! If someone was at the party and remembers, comment please!  The food was eaten all up, and I'm not even kidding.  I distinctly remember eating the last of the radishes.  So I do believe the food was a success and made clean up a total breeze. 

So as we were snacking and visiting we would breeze in and out of the baby's new nursery. Lisa and Patrick had it all set up for their guests to see.  Gifts were collected there and Lisa would open one or two when she felt like it, or when someone requested her to open their gift.  It was very easy and fun - I've never much been a fan of the 'sit in a circle and open gifts' model, so I was glad that Lisa decided to go this route.

the nursery

Isn't this nursery just the sweetest?  This baby is going to be so happy and I'm going to be so happy to have it close. 

baby blanket

Do you think Captain will be watching over the baby like this all the time?  Me too. 

So that is the blanket I made for a shower gift.  Aren't the fabrics lovely?  I am in love with that hidden fox fabric.  All of fabrics were purchased at The Needle Shop here in Chicago - although they do have an Etsy shop for those of you far away.  I have made versions of this heavy duty playtime blanket for my friend Meagan and my co-host, Danielle a couple of years ago.  The blanket is modeled after the pattern in Lotta Jansdotter's baby book which I love. 

Speaking for the two of us (Max and I), the evening delightful and to the best of my knowledge Lisa and Patrick had a wonderful time.  We can't wait for the baby to come.

Cherrio!