Our Baby Bash {The Party}

Since we took a gazillion photos of our baby bash, I didn't think it would be nice to have 100 photos in one post. Talk about overload! ;) I split it up into the "party" and the "details." Yes, even though our party was at a bar... there were still details I wanted to share!

Since we no longer live in the city where we are from [now about two hours south], a baby is a pretty good reason to get old friends together to celebrate the upcoming arrival! I know "co-ed baby showers" can either go great or.... the guys end up in another room and just hang out. One of my best friends is a dude so I didn't want to NOT see him if I spent the weekend back home -- I figured to just make this more "happy hour" and less "shower." Let's just gather at the BAR and have a good time!

Surprisingly finding a bar in the area that was willing to accommodate us was challenging. You can walk into a restaurant and ask for a table for 20 and not be asked questions [well, they will probably be mad but you get my point] but to actually call ahead and PLAN something...everyone wanted money up front. A deposit. Or, a "room rental" fee.... except there was no "room" to rent...they just wanted to throw you all in with the general public but expected to be paid for it. Yikes!

I started thinking of all my favorite bars that served food that were centrally located in the Tampa area. I used to live in Hyde Park and spent many a nights at The Dubliner...they served food...they had an outdoor patio...Hmmm. I called and they were so laid back and VERY nice. They honestly didn't care if we came, if we decorated, if we brought a cake. It was exactly the kind of atmosphere I was hoping to find. Just a space to hang out with friends!

Jen was pretty amazing [Jen, come back to BLOGGER!!] and offered to throw this shindig right when I told her I was pregnant. She was on the ball. She was totally down for figuring out how exactly one has a co-ed baby shindig and how would it work out... I'd say it was quite successful!

{*The Party*)

First up -- the invitation!

Just, ya know, minus the 'stashes of course! ;) 

Ordered from Vistaprint for a ridiculously low price. The invites were cute! We ordered the matching address labels and envelope seals. Vistaprint is surely the go to for...well, everything, in my opinion. It's just so affordable and you can upload your own designs. Makes it's pretty simple.

So -- while we had dreams of relaxing on their patio for this party... it was very warm! We spent the entire time [or much of it] inside with the a/c and the fans blowing full blast. Also -- a major score for the day -- no one else was at the bar during our party. I am not sure if all the pirate decor scared away potential customers or what... but it was just us and it was great! It certainly felt like a private party.

With Jen who did a lot of work for this get together!
Yes -- the theme was pirates so there were hats, swords, eye patches....
the leis were just hanging around and were fun to wear. 

I had to get the daddy to be in a few pictures before the craziness began... =]

It was great catching up with old friends and new...

 
I've know Crystal since I was a freshman in high school! I also met Nichole in high school as well. There was a time she was my boss at my high school job... ;)

I've known these two lovely ladies since college... and we have had a lot of wild nights! I will say that!


 
There were bloggers...

and boyfriends...

 

friends you've known so long they feel almost like family... 

...oh, and a baby bump! That was the reason we were here, right?


Bump comparisons...

...and speaking of bloggers...

Jen | Lauren | Me | Nichole | Crystal
{ All Tampa girls who have blogs that you should check out! I've known Jen since elementary school, Lauren and I met recently, and I already mentioned I've known Nichole and Crystal since high school. It's amazing how people come together on the internet! ;) }

We played a few games during the party... of course... chugging beer out of a bottle had to be one of them.

I will say there was some technically difficulty with that game -- no one could finish their bottle! We then just said to take the lids off and chug.... Prizes were of course handed out! 

There wasn't just boozing and eating pizza... there was some present opening too.
We felt very blessed!

Tomorrow I will share some more pictures! It was such an exciting weekend to be home with friends and celebrate our little one on the way. It's hard to say when we will be back for a day visit like that so it was great to see as many people as we could in one event. ;)