I have a grandchild (my first) growing ever bigger inside their mother. This is extremely exciting. I shall be called Granny Anne, and I am so looking forward to meeting them. As the prospective parents were visiting, I offered to host a baby shower. Such fun!

Several friends (and my hairdresser) gave me tips about what to do. Baby showers were not really a thing when I had my babies, so I was a little unsure of expectations. I learnt there should be cake, and games, and hopefully people would brings gifts. It’s a fun way to involve other people in the prospective birth, and to celebrate together (before the reality of sleepless nights and dirty nappies dominate). As the party was after our trip to NY, I also visited shops there, searching for baby tat (although they only had balloons and napkins). I baked lots of cake. I found all sorts of wonderful useless things online, and merrily made little chocolate shapes in baby themes, and gingerbread biscuits with cutters shaped like rattles, bibs, bottles and baby vests. (I tell you this, as the resultant biscuits looked decidedly dodgier shapes!)

The afternoon was fun. I am always worried when hosting a party, in case nobody wants to come, but people came and seemed to enjoy themselves. We scattered baby balloons in the hallway. I made a ‘nappy cake’ (which is nappies rolled up and tied with ribbons so they look like a tiered cake, and you hide little gifts inside). I found instructions online, and was pleased with the result (you never know with these things). I wanted some silk flowers to decorate it, ordered some from John Lewis, and was rather worried when huge boxes arrived. (Note to self: check dimensions before buying online.) I bought some terry nappies, because they made useful cloths for my own sicky babies, and one game was to practise folding one and putting it on a toy ape. We also listed all the things people say during labour, deleted the inappropriate ones, then listed the first letters to see if people could guess. (IAB: ‘It’s a boy!’ IANDTA: ‘I am never doing this again!’ ITN: ‘Is this normal?’) We also had some baby trivia (Day most babies are born: Wednesday. Bone babies don’t have: kneecap.)

I set the table with cloths, cups and saucers, plates of cakes, baby confetti, napkins. It looked pretty. Then we sat and watched the gifts being opened, which is always fun. People were very generous, and there were baby books, toys, and the cutest socks, lots of nappies, various outfits—everything that will make it easier for the parents to be ready for when the baby arrives.

I am so looking forward to the baby. It’s interesting how one baby affects everything—we (the older generation) all shuffle back a step, the parents’ siblings become the aunts and uncles, their grandparents become great grandparents. I know they are just labels, but they also represent roles, and family position, and they seem surprisingly significant. As the wider world seems to be on a mission to self-destruct, it is lovely to have something positive to focus on. A little optimism is good for us all.

I hope you have something to look forward to this week. Thanks for reading.
Take care.
Love, Anne x