Saturday bright and early I attended Monica's baby shower all the way in Kent, at Greenhithe. Well I say "all the way" but to be honest, I live now bordering Kent and Greenhithe is on the same train line so I cannot complain. Although I have to say that when my alarm sounded at 8am I muttered to K "whoever has a baby shower this early??" Gabby was to take the train from London Bridge and we arranged to meet on the train, second carriage no less.
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In the second carriage |
Monica is one of my first friends here in London. She is from South Africa and we all used to hang out together with Liandi and Faith back in our good ol' Canada Water days. Then she and hubby Quentin moved further out to Kent and so we seldom meet up except for birthdays or some milestone celebration dinners.
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The happy mum to be |
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Mon who is almost 7 months pregnant |
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Group pic |
Thea (lady in green top) is Monica's friend who kindly opened up her house for this party and I think there couldn't be a better venue. She lives in a four storey townhouse in a cul-de-sac. When I walked in, I did a little gasp cos everything was beautiful and the sunlight streaming in from the ceiling of the living room was just stunning. She had a iron spiral staircase which leads from the living room to their little garden. I just loved her place the moment I stepped in. She has decorated up her place for the baby shower beautifully and everything was so well thought out. She had a string of baby clothes hung up. She had a table full of finger food, a pretty blue-teal coloured cake. She had a nappy cake. Heck, there was even a monkey sitting on a motorbike made up of nappies too. (Quentin is a motorcycle enthusiast.) There in a corner she had this white painted tree branch with baby socks tied to it. And then there was a chalkboard with wishes for us to write for Monica and baby. Seriously!
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Look at all the natural light streaming into the house! |
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It's all in the details, baby!
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LOVE this set up |
Liandi and Monica are like best friends despite being across the oceans. Liandi herself is also pregnant and when she found out that Monica was pregnant, she emailed a few of us saying she would love to plan a baby shower for Monica. Huh? Yes she actually planned this all the way from Australia. What an amazing friend. She gathered Monica's close friends in London and emailed us and arranged with Thea on the venue, and handmade some presents and sent it over. She even printed all the invites and sent them to Thea who then sent on to all of us.
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The table all set up |
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Blue/Teal cake for a birthday boy baked by one of the ladies
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It was an emotional baby shower I have to say. Everyone now knows that this is Monica and Quentin's miracle baby and a godsend, so it was a very special affair. Thea started the party with a prayer thanking God for this baby, and it must have been a difficult journey because Monica started tearing up. *sniff* We then skyped Monica's sister Jessica who is in South Africa and gosh even though they spoke in Afrikaans, it was another emotional conversation - people started tearing up too! Certainly wasn't prepared for an emotional baby shower.
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The nappy cake |
We then had a quick game where they wanted to test Monica her nappy changing skills blindfolded so that was quite amusing. I thought since we skyped Jessica, why not Skype the organiser Liandi herself! So I whatsapp'ed her and soon, we saw Liandi on the TV. So wish she were here, this amazing friend to Monica.
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Liandi joining via Skype |
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The nappy game |
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Little touches |
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Vintage teacup set |
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The monkey on the motorbike made up of nappies!
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We each even got a door gift. |
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Another group pic before we left |
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So glad to see Janine who is just back from her 9 month mega moon.
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Presents from the daddy Quentin - who had bible verses on little onsies in Afrikaans. How special :) |
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Our present for baby Brendan |
After all the emotions running on high, Thea suggested it's food time and so we spent the rest of the morning mingling about and chatting with the other girls. So good to see Janine again after her mega moon - they quit their jobs to travel round the world for 9 months. Seriously brave people. They have just been back for about a month and so I couldn't wait to hear all her stories.
Now Gabby tells me should she have a baby shower she wants the same details. Umm no pressure!
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Hope to see you more often on my blog from now on :)