BaBY SHoWERS...& BeYoND!

As I sit down to write today's blog it is with pure joy in my heart...it is all in tribute to BABiES!!!


"A baby is like the beginning of all things, hope, dream of possibilities."


"A baby is a blank cheque made payable to the human race."


"Babies are such a sweet and nice way to start people."


(The above 3 quotes were taken off a baby quote website, none had authors listed!)

Here is Mariah meeting her dance teacher's baby
ALEXANDRA RENAE!
Miss AMBER and her mom, Gailene, are also in this picture
This was at the baby shower held in their honor at the BSOBAD dance studio last night.

By the look on Mariah's face you can see
she enjoyed meeting the new little baby.
The baby was absolutely adorable,
here looking like a real life DOLL!

Here is a gift basket I created for AMBER and ALEXANDRA
 from Jana, Mariah and me!
In the background is a little ALEXANDRA banner I made as well.

Here is BRENDA... "QUEEN BEE"  of the BSOBAD dance studio with the most "BEE"-lightful
gift for Amber's baby... a little BEE TuTu and stripy outfit to go under it, it is just TuTu cute!
She also ordered an OPRAH baby bib for her off the Oprah website which says "O" Yuck!

Mariah had created a special picture for ALEXANDRA and wanted to give it to her all by her self...
here the baby was sleeping, but Mariah kept close watch to see when the baby was awake to present the picture to her when she could see it! 

We called ourselves... MARTHA STEWART 1 and 2!
Here is  the studio secretary, Kellie , and I after decorating the studio.
Many gifts were delivered on behalf of people unable to attend prior to the shower.

Here is my cousin Gwen after we assembled her wonderful gift for Amber from the entire
ADULT TAP GROUP (Which Amber taught this season)
Gwen collected money from the group and shopped up a storm and got so many fabulous and perfectly suited gifts which filled this toy basket to the brim.
We had a fun little visit while wrapping it up the other day as well!

Here is a spec- TAP-ular cake from one of the adult tappers that she made &
 brought to the shower last night.
It, too, was just so ideal right to every detail including the little TAP SHOES on top of the cake!
I marvel at anyone with talents such as these... wow what a cake...
and it was YUMMY, as well as gorgeous.

And here is a pic of Mariah with both of her dance teachers, MISS CARA and MISS AMBER
co-incidentally both in black and yellow(quite suited to the BEE of BSOBAD!!!) .
CARA shared some EXCITING NEWS last night as well...
She is going to be the next DANCE TEACHER at the studio to have a baby
some time in the beginning of the new year.
CONGRATULATIONS to her... she will also make a good MOMMY!
Mariah idolizes these two great dance teachers, they are such perfect role models for her.

Last night was a fun baby shower for MISS AMBER from BSOBAD. She gave birth to her first baby on the day of this season's dance recital. It is simply TUTU cute that her little girl would make her DANCING DEBUT that way!

Both Jana and I taught Amber dancing at my dance studio, and I continued to teach her at BSOBAD when my studio closed in 2002. Then Amber went on to becoming a teacher herself, and now teaches my grand daughter, Mariah... talk about full circle!

I now hang out with Amber's mom, Gailene, and we have become very close friends in this past few years with all of our
common interests and bonds!

Amber has become a very wonderful and well respected dance teacher at BSOBAD.  Many of her students and dance friends came out to share in last night's fun and meet her darling little baby girl, Alexandra.

Last weekend I attended another
BABY SHOWER.

This one was for a special little baby boy,
BRAXTON!

Jana's good girlfriend, Shelane, gave birth to her first baby on May 22nd.  Shelane and Jana have been good friends since they met at high school in grade 9.

They have been through many fun times together along the way.  Shelane even travelled with us to Edmonton 5 years ago to meet Mariah the day she was born.
To Mariah she is "HANTY SHELANE!"

Shelane then had Mariah as her flower girl at  her wedding 3 summers ago. WOW hard to imagine Mariah was only 2 then!!!

Now Jana will be  a special "HANTY" to little baby Braxton... and the tradition will continue!

Jana and two other girlfriends put on a very nice baby shower in Shelane's honor. Shelane also held one for Jana when Mariah
was born as well.

I love that they are such good friends and now can share this "MOMMY" phase of life together.

Cupcakes with an OWL theme. Shelane has a nursery decorated in this theme, as well.
These were pretty darn tasty cupcakes, I might add! 

Meet BABY BRAXTON JAMES...he is absolutely adorable,
and was such a good baby at the shower, just as Amber's baby was at her's.
I only wish I took more pics of him, but I am sure there will be more photo opps in my future!!!

Apparently Shelane referred to her baby as a "LITTLE BLUEBERRY" through her pregnancy. This gave the girls an idea to make up BLUEBERRY JAM as a little souvenir for the baby shower guests.
Aren't these little jams so cute?! 

Here are the girls who planned the shower for their friend, and guest of honor!
Left to Right...
Becky, Shelane, Jana, Laura.
I love the big BLUE poofs hanging in the background... I tried to copy those and made some pink ones for Amber's shower last night... (mine were not nearly as poofy  or as full!!!)
They are definitely a cute addition to any decor. 

Shelane  reading my little crafted card, with Jana looking on! 

My two gift baskets before they had cellophane on them.

SHELANE'S with the BLUE/ OWL related theme...
and AMBER'S  PINK one with PRINCESSES, BUMBLE BEES and more!
Each has a little polka dot piggy bank with some 2011 coins in it for the year the babies were born.

I think MAY is a fabulous month to have a baby... my first grandchild came in MAY as well...
and it worked out good for us!

When babies come into the human race...
They are so precious in their brand new space.
They are like a STAR from heaven above,
They come complete with so much LOVE.
They start out small but then they grow,
They are loved more as the days go.
BABIES DANCE right into our heart...
That always happens at the start.
PRECIOUS, CHERISHED, and oh so SWEET...
BABIES really can't be beat!