Baby Showers

Hmmmmm.

Not sure about these. At all. An American concept, I gather, where a group of female friends get together with gifts and good wishes for an expectant mother.

I went to one last night, and not knowing anything about them I decided to ask around. A few people on various forums had been and mainly the stories were horrific. Maybe they are more enjoyable if you have a baby or are the one receiving all the gifts, but I am not sure how much fun eating babyfood out of a nappy would be. Presumably it was a clean nappy. Knowing the hostess fairly well, I doubted this 'game' would be on the agenda. I asked her what the etiquette was, she didn't know. She was providing nibbles, I was to provide a gift for the mother-to-be and bring a bottle. Then she said, "People have asked me if they should bring anything..." ("What?", says I, "as well as a gift and a bottle, which I can't drink as I will be driving?" - OK so I didn't really say that) "...and I suggested they bring their favourite childhood sweets"

I (obviously) knew the mother-to-be, but only through the hostess, so not very well really, but armed with a 'Cuddle Robe and Bath Mitt set' (for those that don't know, a cuddle robe, I believe, is one of those hooded towel thingys that surround cute babies, that you see in photos sometimes), a bottle of wine, and a mixed selection of E-numbers off I trotted. It was a surprise for the preganant woman, so on my arrival I was hastily ushered into the kitchen to hide my presant and to get a drink before being allowed to see the expectant mum and pretend I was looking forward to the Virgin Vie fake tanning demonstration. The charade didn't last due to the failure to hide her mother (who was also there as a surprise).

As we tucked into some nibbles (mmmm...pizza), another lady arrived with her 7-week old son. The poor kid, although asleep, seemed to resemble the Italian footbal referee Pierluigi Collina. To add insult to injury he was also called Barnaby. Whilst nibbling my pizza he started to cry, his mother swept him up, whipped her top up, and attached the strange looking creature onto her boob. Not something I like to see whilst I am eating.

We piled our gifts in the living room, and then had to play some games. The Virgin Vie demonstrator, who was also a friend, had organised two games of pass the parcel, with hidden (baby related) presents, so apart from a few chocolates for the rest of us, the mum-to-be started to disappear under a pile of dummies, bottles and minature socks. I had to admit this was quite a sweet way of doing some gift giving. Afterwards we all gave our presents, the best was a singing Charlie Mouse from Bagpuss (he from the Mouse Organ), the others being practical stuff to use and wear (the baby, not the mum) plus a few photo albums. Soon after this I managed to make my escape, having decided that they are not as horrendous as I feared, but at the same time, glad that I would not have another to attend for a while.