It was fun!
It was fun!
We spent the day in the sun watching 3 soccer games each. Chrsitian and Emma both had two. They won the first and lost the second. It was hot, stressful and long, but we are really beginning to love the game. At least when our kids play. Then a fun Baby shower for the Brooks. Casual, coed BBQ shower. I think we should switch all showers to this style. Girlie showers are so out. 
November 5th, 2006 at 4:09 pm
I totally agree. It takes both to make the baby any way. Might as well all celebrate. It’s a family thing.
November 5th, 2006 at 9:19 pm
Yeah but sometimes it’s still nice to have just the girls… Not that we have to have a baby shower to do that!
November 5th, 2006 at 9:34 pm
I agree with ya Martha. I am all about the “couples shower”, where it’s laid back and the guys and the girls all feel welcome. Girls night out is fun too, but when it comes to a baby shower, I am over the pastel-frilly-girlie-dinnermint shindigs of the past.
November 6th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
As long as the women do all the work and cook a lot of food for the guys to eat, then this coed baby shower idea sounds fine with me. If anyone makes me get off my butt and play some puerile game, I’m out of there, and I’m leaving with the food.
November 6th, 2006 at 9:41 pm
but you would come?
November 8th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
Ha ha! Seriously do guys want to be a part of it? I tried to convince Nate to do one like that when we had Levi and he didn’t want any part of it. Maybe if there were no gifts and good beer?
November 8th, 2006 at 4:58 pm
OK guys, you know you like showers. Let’s say your wife says (as she steps into the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her), “Honey, do you want to come with me to my shower?” Yeah. That’s what I thought. So, although guys usualy seem to like getting in on their wives’ showers, they don’t want to go to a group gathering called a “shower”. I guess it’s a big let down. And besides, only pervs are into group showers. I bet that if we called the “party to celebrate the new addition to the family” something other than a “shower” that the dad’s might want to be a part. I think they’re just dissapointed because when they weigh showering with the wife vs. party, shower wins, and so they feel cheated when it’s only a party.
THE SOLUTION: Let’s stop calling it something that it’s not. How about we call it… um…. a party - or bbq - or a sit and hang-out day? Those are some other things guys usually like to do. And what’s up with no gifts? This is the one part the dad should really like. The more other people buy for you the less you have to buy for yourself, dad! HELL-O!!!!!
To Nick: Puerile? You’ve been watching too much O’Riley.
November 8th, 2006 at 6:20 pm
Point 1: We had beer and all the guys there seemed happy.
Question 1: Why do people hate games? We even had betting games and no one played.
Question 2: “Too much” O Reilly? I’sn’t any too much?
Question 3: Do people actually enjoy showering together? That’s one of my only alone times.
November 8th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
Answer 1: I don’t know why people don’t like games. Especially guys. Excuuuuuuse me. Baseball, football, whatever ball, poker, video games? I think people are just insecure when they don’t really know the rules and they are afraid they will mess up.
Answer 2: O’Riley is good for vocabulary building. Plus he’s really tall. Did you see him in his interview with Bush? He’s a monster.
Answer 3: I wouldn’t know too much about the showering together thing and other people, but I can recall a time or two when I’ve been offered “help”. I also have heard “course jesting” reguarding the subject, so I figured it was a universal man thing. Maybe I’m wrong.
November 8th, 2006 at 9:35 pm
I told Kristi that, when the time comes, we would have no gifts at our party, because I don’t want a bunch of junk that the baby does not need or a collection of clothes that I would never let my child wear.
Guys are not against games, just dumb ones.
And I think that it makes more sense to have the “baby” party after the BABY has arrived. Everyone wants to see the baby anyway. Why do people always do the shower thing before the baby is visible?
November 8th, 2006 at 10:14 pm
Gift giving is a joy to others, too.
I think there has always been a thought that people are incapable of functioning after a baby is born. We cannot get dressed, get in the car and go to a party or any of the other things we previously did before motherhood.
November 9th, 2006 at 7:12 am
I’ve got it. First we have a party with everyone, to celebrate the pregnancy. Just alot of food. Then we have a party with only the girls when the baby is almost due. That’s where all the details of pregnancy and delivery can be shared and cute little baby gifts can be given.
Then there’s a big bash after the baby is born with dads, moms, other kids, neighbors, pets, the works. Once again, food. This time, beer, because now mom can have one. Presents should be limited to cash at this point cause there’s gonna be alot of fast food for the next few weeks.
So…for every baby—3 parties. Multiple births, multiple parties.
Randy, are you going to be picking out your children’s clothes?
November 9th, 2006 at 12:25 pm
um, hello? White t shirts and black skirts/pants. Duh.
November 9th, 2006 at 5:09 pm
it’s actually gray skirts/pants, but you definitely have the right idea.
The 3 party thing is good, except cut out the “cute little baby gifts” part. I am speaking for Kristi and myself, maybe other people like getting 14 bibs and some cheesy baby clothes, but we think people, if they feel inclined to get gifts, should get gifts for us, the parents, and hold off on giving gifts to any babies until the kids can appreciate the gift giving process. That way people can feel good about giving and nobody buys useless items for a person who does not know the difference anyway. Unless people feel comfortable buying gifts for a baby knowing that the gift will probably be given to some charity, I would not suggest people get gifts for and kids that may come our way some day (this does not imply in any way that we, Kristi and Randy, have any babies, in any combination of gender and number, “in the oven.”)
November 9th, 2006 at 5:39 pm
You’d be suprised how fast you can go through 14 little bibs. And back when I was buying the stuff, bibs for the baby were a gift to me. The fewer baby bibs you have to buy, the more new clothes mom can buy for herself. Wow, I didn’t know sending you to a “uniform” school would sink in so deep, Randy. Hey, did you guys hear what Randy said? Kristi’s pregnant with triplets!!! Let’s all go bib shopping!
November 9th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
He’ll change his mind once he realizes that it’s a good idea to get free stuff, and it’s usually not that cheesy. Come to think of it, I’ve never actually seen any cheesy gifts given like that (or bibs either, for that matter).
Randy, just think of it this way: you’re correct in stating that the kid won’t fully appreciate the gifts, but that’s not really the point of them anyway. But if it really bothers you, you should also realize that the kid will also have no appreciation or even awareness of your hip fashion sense, so they won’t really care about what clothes they’re wearing. Since that is the case, you may as well let them wear free ones.
November 9th, 2006 at 8:27 pm
you guys are whack. or wack. or wax. or however it is supposed to be. I forgot.
November 9th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
Randy just plans on using his own money for a swing, high chair, pack and play, crib, carseat, sheets blankets, diapers, wipes, and clothes. He makes enough money that it isn’t necessary for others to offer blessings of these gifts.
November 12th, 2006 at 11:09 pm
A friend threw us a co-ed babyshower about 7 years ago. It was fun enough. Although, I’m not much a shower girl and pretty much use any excuse to not go. Mommy/baby talk, for the most part, makes me fall asleep. We didn’t bother with a shower for our second one. Had plenty of STUFF already!! But some girls love them and that’s cool. I kinda wish I could get into them. I’ve tried, but alway felt on the inside like I was faking.