my reflections on an adventure themed baby shower

While I’m watching my little guy turn 18, one of my best friends is celebrating her little guy’s 1st year this week. I know 18 years is a lot of years to someone counting months and yet the view from here is as I said last week, all cliche. It goes so fast!

One of the sweetest things this last year has been meeting a new little friend. Just a year ago we didn’t know who he’d be, or the color of his stunning hair, or the sound of his singing that can take over all conversation in a car. We knew something about him though; we knew his momma.

And celebrating her feels like yesterday.

Adventure was the theme because well, the little person was joining these two amazing humans and their anthology. 

A new adventure is coming up, and I’m sure it will be a good one. – Sig Olson

Friends near and far contributed, whether it was hand-lettered placards from a friend who couldn’t come,

bottles of champagne for brunch toasting,

stones and driftwood from the north, photos of Kristin’s childhood, poems and readings sent from Portland, and the gifts and gentle words from friends and sisters.

We dipped rocks used to make a cairn, a stack of stones to serve as a path marker, to say to Kristin, we see you here on this path and we are marking this moment before-you-become-a-parent, that all the things before matter too, and now this.

She said that day; I’m not sure I’m ready. And I’ve heard it said again as her little guy jumped ahead of his due date by a couple of weeks, I could have used those two weeks! She laughs while sharing her reality, but sometimes it makes her eyes glisten just a bit too.

You don’t have to be a mother to know this universal truth, right? If only we had a little more time to prepare. A few more hours to read up on what might come. More time to organize, to maybe wrap our heads around this next happening, so there are no significant surprises. A little more set up, so we don’t mess up.

But here is one thing ALL of us said as we looked her in the face last October.

You got this. You will know what’s next. Trust yourself.

We also said it’s like one big game of “Tag, You’re It!” with your partner that never ends. And we nodded at the fear of sleepless nights and loss of self that can and most likely will happen, temporarily. Yes to all those things.

But it’s also good and deepening, and these little humans will change the world. Why travel down this parenting road or any potentially hard road? A question only individuals can answer for themselves. But when I looked over at my 14-year-old daughter and thought about my little now big guy, and my youngest one out with her dad that day, it’s easy in that reflective moment to say: because they will change the world, my world, their world. And I see everything different and fight different fights, and I’ve laid down ones that aren’t mine. And with the help of smart friends and therapists with ears to it all, I’ve deciphered my questions and not the ones of the woman next to me, but my question for whatever season I am in.

And if I can be so bold to notice, that is what my friend Kristin has done, she’s finding her questions, and she’s choosing her path. I feel so honored to have walked with her for years now. I’m watching and learning, and the sweetest gift has been remembering my story too along the way.

Adventure Themed Baby Shower Brunch

Theme: Adventure – inspired from a page out of Kristin and Cole’s story

Decor: nature, herbs, leaves, driftwood, stones, wood, gold, light, and shades of teal and fall

Gifts: group gift for a travel/diaper bag and items to fill it for baby on the go – S’s been on more airplains than any baby I know! 

Activity: Dipping stones and spoons

Brunch Menu: coming soon with recipes from Kristin too!

And in keeping with the theme of needing more time, and apparently, in honor of Sylvan’s 1st birthday, I finished the dipped spoons we made after painting rocks that day and actually mailed them this week. Watch the mail, ladies! 😉

For more on how to dip spoons, take a peek at the quick DIY on Instagram. (It does not take one year to make!) We dipped baby spoons, stones, and wood things to go along with our theme.

But who’s stopping you from glass or wood bowls or even chairs and tables like these from the talented Kristy Taylor? Which means you can stick to spoons and follow her @kristy.taylor.design to find what she’s dipped for you.

And last but not least, a poem from my Evelyn to her little friend Sylvan, that pretty much says all of our feels from knowing him this past year.

The cuteness is too cute.

I can’t get enough.

I love you, Sylvan.

You make me very happy when you sing to me.

Your ocean blue eyes.

You are to love for.

— Evelyn, age 6

Happy Birthday, Sylvan! Happy 1st year, Kristin and Cole. You are rocking this parenting gig.

I love parties! You too? For more menu ideas and activities (to avoid all shower games!) take a look at these past baby shower celebrations. Recipes from Kristin’s Baby Shower fall menu are coming soon!

~Heather

Picture Credit: Thanks Rebecca for #1, Natalie for #2, #3, #5, #6, and #10, and Kristy for #13.

Last Updated on June 15, 2022 by Heather Bursch