While I've been on hiatus since announcing that we're having a baby, the last few weeks have been a trip down nesting lane! So you can see I couldn't keep my shutterbug reflex off the table when my amazing friend Natalie showed me everything she had planned for the most magical baby shower! (And yes, I took a nice bit of ribbing for being the photographer at my own baby shower--better than being kicked in the ribs though! ;-) ) Most people who know me, know I love Harry Potter--it got me reading, writing, telling stories of my own (through photos too!) and I've pretty much been a Hermione or a Ravenclaw for Halloween ever since. However, I had never even considered the idea that you could have a Harry Potter baby shower until Natalie and her genius suggested it! Sure, I'd trolled the Pinterest boards and seen themes before, but oddly, it hadn't come up, though you'd be surprised how many folks have perfected the Harry Potter party--heck, the Harry Potter shower!
None of them have anything on Natalie and this girl gang, though. (Special shout out especially to Sharon, Deb and Jasmine for all the hosting and set up and everything! I love you all!) So imagine this (well, you can see it in the photos too ;-) )... You park outside our amazing hostess, Sharon's house (who by the way has a home I'm sure should be plastered on every magazine, with or without the HP memorabilia), and when you enter the door, there's a "brick" curtain inviting you to Platform 9 and 3/4. Yes, this is where the journey begins--and just in case you miss the right turn, or the Hogwarts Express, Dumbledore is there to steer you away from a "most painful death" on the upstairs corridor...
Then, in case you didn't know this was a baby shower, there's a games table with a giant sign that reads "Welcome Tiny Muggle!" and a quidditch pitch of games greets you: Guess How Many Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans are in the bottle, Finish Mom's Phrase, even a mingling game so everyone could get to know each other! My favorites were probably the "Have You Seen This Baby Wizard?" board where photos of Stephen and I and our parents as babies had to be matched up to names, and Baby Bingo which makes opening the amazingly generous gifts from the lovely guests fun for the guests too! Especially as there were prizes involved!
Potterheads, there was even a Divination table where you could guess Delivery Day, complete with a Hogwarts "Meal Train" sign up, a guest book ultrasound frame, and a House-themed diaper cake!
But perhaps where Natalie shone the most, was in the food. Magical food. Not only did she take into account the dietary restrictions I have due to Gestational Diabetes, but she even got theme names for each of the snacks, and then prepared and coordinated the food preparation. (Can you tell, I have like a 1000% respect for this woman?!)
There was lime sherbet "Polyjuice Potion," "Huffle-Puffs", "Cauldron" cupcakes (which were my favorite guilty pleasure of the day), and even Hershey's chocolates "In Case of a Dementor Attack!" Not to mention "Gryffindor Grapes" and "Slytherin Snakes" and a whole spread straight from Professor Sprout's garden. (Note, too the house colors coordinating from the cups, to the icing, to the bowls, to the food tents. I warned Natalie: everyone's going to want her to do their shower from now on.)
As I mentioned, Natalie had an amazing team of help--Deb, Jasmine, Sharon, and even Sharon's daughters played crucial roles in the last minute set up! Lucky for me, Ava is in the same house--Go Ravenclaw--and had a Ravenclaw robe, as well as access to two sorting hats, Hogwarts T-Shirts she so cleverly put on the pillows, and a collection of replica wands from the Harry Potter movies! Between those, the potions she put on display, the Harry Potter onesies gifted me by my sister Cori, and the adorable "owl" cage our friend Tara brought for cards, there was simply no end to the perfect little magical touches. John William's amazing soundtrack was even playing, compliments of Alexa. Oh, and Moaning Myrtle even made an appearance in the bathroom!
I was over the moon to see everything this amazing group of women did. It touched my heart so profoundly to feel so encompassed in friendship, as is so characteristic of the Harry Potter books actually. Whether or not they understood any of the references, this group of women showed up for me in a time of change, even confusion and apprehension, and through their individual charms and magic, lifted my spirits with a hope and anticipation I had not yet had in my pregnancy.
I took these photos (and wished I could've gotten more!) partially because I want my baby to understand how loved she already is--and I know it's not limited to the ladies in these photos. And the other reason is to show her the power of women who bond together to support one another--that's the real magic in these photos: friendship, love and kindness.
Watch out Dumbledore, Delaney's Army is one boss group of witches and wizards too.
(Final three images taken by Deb & Sharon, thank you!!!)
p.s. I feel it should be noted somewhere, that while all this was happening, Stephen and a handful of these ladies' spouses were watching Sharknado-- of all things--in what the wives have termed the "Baby Shark-nado Man Shower." Taquitos were consumed and methods of shark demise were counted amidst hilarity. ; -)
Choose your love, love your choice.