Surprise!

{whew, I just needed a light-hearted post after everything that happened on St. Croix  last week.}

I love planning parties and I LOVE surprises.  I recently had the opportunity to do both with some super fun island women.  The Complicated Part:  We brought this on our selves, but a dear friend to all of us is leaving island at the end of the month AND it also happened to be her birthday on the day of the shower.  So, we turned it into a Surprise Baby Shower-Birthday-Going Away party all rolled up into a kid free, pot luck Sunday brunch, St. Croix Style.  We totally played them against each other: they both thought the surprise was for the other and it could not have been any funnier when they walked in and tried to convince the other who the surprise was for.  Heck ya, we pulled it off beautifully.  And the party was a HUGE success of fun, food & friendship like no other.   And now, I give you, our version of a Surprise Baby Shower-Birthday-Going Away Party:

The Guests Of Honor: Ms.{ I-Will-Run-A-Marathon-The-Day-I-Give-Birth} Sommer & Ms. {#1 MidWife JFL Hospital Has Ever Had} Grealis

The best part about this surprise is that Ms. S usually knows everything about all her friends doings on this island.  She is the one who enjoys the nerdy games, planning out MGW excursions and finding the time to teach sewing & stroller bootcamp while  on maternity leave.  A first class nut job, but we love her for that.

Here is what we did:

FRIENDSHIP FLAG

Pennants are all the rage right now, right?  Didn’t you know?  Well, now you do.  The idea behind our friendship flag was to write notes of love & encouragement on the fabric pieces and encourage Ms. S to pack in her hospital bag so that she can decorate her hospital room and have all of us in the room in spirit cheering her on during the last leg of her 9 month Labor Marathon:

I printed out instructions so that guests knew the drill.  I am nerdy that way and like to make things as easy as possible at parties so I can drink & socialize. 

Maybe a bit hippy-ish on your radar, but we loved it, so go make your own suburban version and tell them you got the idea from some barefoot mom living in the Caribbean {please note, this was not my original idea.  It was presented by another bfm and I ran with it}  Bottom line, it will serve as a great reminder that her totally awesome friends kept a secret from her! {J you sent me a bitchy text complaining we never see each other anymore as I was in the middle of sewing this damn thing! xo}

MEALS ON WHEELS
We all know the basic concept behind this.  Both of these ideas came about as a result of our minimalistic friend not wanting any more crap in her house.  Meal delivery was perfect on so many fronts.  She HATES to meal plan, grocery shop and cook.  I’m guessing she’ll figure out a way to make this service last a year or so.  It also gives her friends the opportunity to meet the new BOY in a more intimate one-on-one setting without overwhelming the new mom with a ton of people at once.  Sounds good in theory, but also, knowing Ms. S, she’ll plan a huge gathering where we will play Pass The Baby.

Again, nerd alert: Printed instructions Sommer Meals On Wheels, ’cause you should personalize for the guest of honor.

BABY SITTING COUPONS
Not everyone wants or knows how to cook, so we provided an alternative: Babysit the two older ones to give Ms. S a sanity break.  Super simple: create template, cut out, let guests fill out.  No photo because you should get the point.  No instructions necessary.

 And of course, for the best damn midwife JFL has ever had: A Fabulous bday cake from by Mr. Bistro himself:

And a beautiful group photo taken by the talented Lindsay Kammerzalt that will be given to Ms. G in a matted frame that we all wrote words of love and friendship. Such proper women we are:

Not.

{yep, that is real newborn down there. Not Julie's, but a real baby!}

 Another incredible island mom (and family) who have decided its time to move on to the land of opportunity.  A very hard decision indeed.  But just another reason to love St. Croix: The LifeLong Friendships you make.

And SURPRISE!  That’s it!  That was one of the easiest, coolest parties for people who have everything: Friendship. Now, go on with your bad self and start planning a surprise for any ol’ occasion -  its fun!

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Tags: baby shower ideas, fabric pieces, friendship flag, island baby shower, Lindsay Kammerselt Photography, meal delivery for a new mom, surprise baby shower