Earlier this week, I shared photos from my sister-in-law’s early 4th of July picnic. (If you need ideas, the post has some great suggestions.) She’s big on themed gatherings, but this get-together was more than just a patriotic party. It was a gender reveal for her third child! Her daughter is almost four, her son is 20 months, and Baby #3 is due in late fall.
As she did at the gender reveal party for her second child (you may remember the photos I posted to the blog), Anne had each of the guests make their guess known by wearing a pink or blue clothespin. She enjoys decorating with chalkboards, so she used a few at the party.
“He or she? What will our little firecracker be?”
“Before I formed you, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart.” (Jeremiah 1:5)
Next to the drinks (water and sweet tea), Anne listed some of the pregnancy symptoms she has been having and what the old wives tales predict the gender to be based on those. I think it’s interesting to note that her symptoms with her second and third babies have been the same, and both times the old wives tales have been wrong. So next time you hear a pregnant lady announce that she’s having a girl because she’s carrying high, you might want to wait for more evidence before you go shopping for bows and lace socks.
Guests were also encouraged to submit their name ideas to the “ballot box.” Anne made a “Stars and Stripes and Sleepless Nights” word search for folks to try their hand at, as well. (Click here to view the printable PDF.)
After dinner, everyone gathered outside, and the only person who knew the gender (the father-to-be’s twin brother) chose a pink or blue confetti cannon and set it off. It’s a boy!
So exciting! Congrats being an Auntie again!
Wow! Two parties in one, I bet everyone has a good time at Anne’s parties. Congratulations to the family, how nice that they will have three children…Jane
Looks great. Congratulations to your sister in law.
Is there such a thing as vacuuming a lawn? Just ‘kidding’! That looks like a fun party that something to be happy about! Anne really knows how to put together a get together!
Haha! I’ll have to ask her how they picked up all the confetti. I suppose a vacuum would work. 😉
Ellie
Congrats to your sis-in-law! And how exciting for you to be an aunt again!
It is interesting how Anne carried the Fourth of July, their fire cracker, theme, right through to the revealing explosion. That was very creative.
Anne must have a store house of experience by now.
One question that I have is can a woman control the size of her baby to help it be more deliverable? I saw the other blog list of baby weights and wondered if that is partly from the mother’s prenatal diet and exercise. Does having a larger baby increase the incidences of cesarean births? Is there a correlation? Maybe you could get Anne to write us about some of her learned prenatal advice, she is getting to be an old wife, who must have some tales to tell.
I would encourage you to speak with a licensed medical professional. Something as important as diet during pregnancy should not be determined from the experiences of other pregnant women, but rather from research conducted by knowledgeable individuals in the medical field.
Ellie
My doctor told me that the baby’s birth weight is determined by genetics, not the mother’s diet. I have two children and I found that to be true. During my first pregnancy I craved a lot of sweets, and I gained almost 40 lbs. During my second pregnancy I craved mostly veggies and I exercised more, gaining only 25 lbs. My babies were born at almost the same weight both times. There is a correlation between larger babies and C-section, but it can’t really be controlled by diet and exercise.
So cute! Congrats to Anne and her family, and congrats to you on being an Auntie again! 🙂
Thank you, Alice! My other sister-in-law is also expecting (due in a few weeks) so we will have 4 nieces and nephews.
Ellie
just find it strange gender reveal party. r people expected to bring gifts? 1 baby shower should be enough. seems greedy to me
Nope, guests did not bring gifts. Not everyone is on board with the idea of a gender reveal party, and that’s completely fine. To each their own. Personally, I don’t think I’ll want to wait any longer than I have to to find out the gender of our babies, so I’m not sure that a gender reveal party will be right for us. LOL. But it is a fun way to celebrate the baby in lieu of a shower.
Ellie
Mary Kiem Mennonite, I was wondering which branch of Mennonite you belong to?
Congratulations to both of your sisters-in -law. The pictures look wonderful.
what are her other kids names? so exciting!