Celebrating my second fairy godchild...

As most of you already know, my best friend, Mary Beth, is pregnant with my second fairy godchild. And here's what a good friend she is - she let me know what the gender was before she even knew! She had the doctor write it down and seal it in an envelope. Then she gave me the envelope. She didn't even peek once! A few days later we all went out to dinner at Tachibana's (where Jeremy discovered that he LOVES sushi) and I provided dessert - cake truffles that would reveal the gender of the baby (blue for a boy, of course, and pink for a girl).

Here's of the big reveal...

So, it's a boy! There's another Michael Neukomm headed into the world. And that's as good a reason as any to celebrate, right? Of course it is. So last Sunday I hosted a diaper shower for little Michael - to make sure that Mike and MB would have everything covered... so to speak... before the little one arrives.

Since it was a coed diaper shower, rather than a traditional women only baby shower, there were no shower games (not a fan) and no pastel mints (also not a fan).

 But there was plenty of food - specifically a lot of good cheese (Mary Beth loves cheese as much as I do - possibly more) - some cheeky favors, and most importantly plenty of loved ones to wish Mike, Mary Beth and Ryan well as their family adds another name to the roster.

I knew this would happen. I took a few pictures before everyone got there and reminded myself to take a picture of the food table after I had everything out. Of course, everything didn't hit the table before guests started arriving (early birds!) - so I never did get a picture of the food spread.

 Here comes the guest of honor, Miss Ryan Neukomm (my first fairy godchild), escorted by her father. No matter that the party was actually for her parents to celebrate her little brother's pending arrival - she's still the guest of honor.

Okay, I take it back, I did get a few pics of the food table after the spread was all laid out - but it was surrounded by people the whole time!

Here's what was on the menu: Sweetheart Cherry Pies (individual heart shaped pies with cheery cheese filling), Cinnamon Sugar Hearts (cookies), Lemon Bar Cookie Cups (OMG - these were GOOD), Cherry Brie Bites (puff pastry bites with brie and cherry filling), fried pickles with ranch dipping sauce, cheese plate, Artichoke Pizza (Mom made this and it disappeared immediately), Kid Sushi (PB&J and ham & cheese), Caprese skewers, Rubber Ducky Party Punch and a Mimosa Bar.

 We had very few leftovers, thank goodness. I took what little was left in to work the next morning and it disappeared quickly. I love it when there are no leftovers to tempt me!

 Mary Beth had some gifts to open, a few people broke the rules and brought gifts other than diapers - but you can't fault an excited Grammy! Mom made a beautiful knit swaddler, but of course my phone froze up and I didn't get a picture of it. On Mary Beth's head. Yes, her head. I know - she's so weird, isn't she?

 Much like her mother and her fairy godmother, Ryan was all about the cheese plate. She was digging on the brie. Such a sophisticated palate, am I right?

 These are the favors I made. I'm pretty proud of my little "Hershey Squirts" - appropriate for a diaper shower, don't you think? I spent weeks looking around for favors or favor ideas that interested me and I couldn't find a single thing... and then it hit me. Diaper shower... diapers... what goes in a diaper? Little squirts - and Hershey squirts! Let me know if you want one - almost everyone forgot to take their favors home after all that! I should have bought Diet Squirt so at least I'd be able to drink the ones left behind.

And finally a close up of the diaper motorcycle I made. I will say that I'm really proud of this thing. It was actually fun figuring out how to make it. And there were no diapers or monkeys harmed in the making of this Monkey Motorcycle.

I hope my guests had as much fun at the party as I did. I really can't wait to meet Michael. I finally got to feel him moving around the other night. He gave my hand a good kick, but I prefer to think of it as a high five.