In Grand Tradition of Showers that Never Were

I write this on the eve of a baby luncheon Bob's co-workers have planned for us. It's not a baby shower per se, but an excuse for Bob's co-workers to celebrate the impending arrival of the new baby and it's the 4th of July weekend, so it's an excuse to leave work early and eat good food and yummy cake. I can't complain on either front. However, when I received the invite to the "Baby Shower", I got a little itchy and nervous. Why, you might ask? Well,



Something ALWAYS goes wrong. I know there are plenty who worry no one will come to their party or the food won't be good or it'll rain or...What I mean is something completely inconceivable goes wrong. For example, my first wedding shower (my roommate took on the task of planning) was canceled due to the fact that the wedding had been canceled. Then when the wedding was called on again, my mother in law planned one. I didn't know anyone who was invited nor did I see them because only about 5 people were there. Now, it didn't hurt my feelings that my mom and sisters comprised most of the attendees. The real fact of the matter is that one of the ladies who "planned" it, had an unfortunate accident- her husband was shot...with a BB gun- though no one knew that until well after my shower had ended. So, the shower was...a total bust to say the least. I felt awkward tying to celebrate when everyone else was so concerned about the "shooting". I can laugh now, I mean really, who has this story?



Next experience, my own baby shower debacle. I didn't really want a baby shower. Well, I wanted one, but I wanted to do it myself. I know it's weird to plan your own party. Everyone should have friends to offer, right? Not in my case. I have friends who like me to plan their baby showers and attend their baby showers and buy them gifts, but they don't think to plan one for me. Not that I'm bitter or anything... So, a parent at my school decided to throw one for me. We decided on a date that was roughly 1 or 2 weeks before my due date. I felt pretty sure that it would be okay so close. I was wrong. The shower was on the 8th, I gave birth on the 7th. Not a lot of people showed up for 1. I already had the baby and 2. the invitations got destroyed in the mail. My cousin received her invite in February 2009, my shower was in November...2008.



So this brings me to tomorrow, if it actually happens without a hitch, this will be a first: A celebration in sort of my honor that actually panned out in less than dramatic fashion.



To make matters worse, I'm in a new church and still learning people. The compassionate service lady- in charge of getting meals lined up for new mommies and being, well, compassionate- called me and decided that she wanted to throw me a baby shower as a way of everyone getting to know me. I didn't' have the heart to tell her no, but I don't want one. I don't know anyone in my new church and I really don't need to have invitations printed on tiny slips of paper passed out to everyone in Relief Society in hopes that 1 of them will show up. Ugh, the pressure and humiliation. I really hope she'll decide that her plate is just too full to do anything.