A few weeks ago Kim wrote a mass email to a bunch of us blogging folk asking if we wanted to be part of an online baby shower for Shana. Kim was in cahoots with Sizzle in regards to the planning. I love them both, as well as Shana, so I kicked in my portion to the money pot for my expectant Momma friend.
Then a call came out for all of us to do posts in honor (I left the “u” out on purpose for my American friends) of Shana. I hesitated in responding to the cell because, well, I HATE SHOWERS.
I had a wedding shower that was all sorts of awkward and lame. If you are reading this and you were there, YOU KNOW IT IS TRUE.
I had a baby shower in my honour (All Canadian with the “u”) when Graham was a newborn. It was held on Superbowl Sunday, so the turnout was minimal, but at least Karen (who organized it) did not make us play any lame games.
I have been at showers where we do play the lame games.
Taste the baby food and guess what it is!
It pretty much all tastes like ass. Who are we kidding?
I had a bit of a bad attitude about the online shower, but then I had an epiphany. IT’S NOT ABOUT ME.
It is about Shana. She is expecting her third baby, and while I am crossing my fingers that she gets to experience a baby BOY, I am really just praying that she has a healthy baby.
I have not met Shana in real life. Yet. I missed BlogHer ‘07 despite all efforts t get there, and she was unable to make BlogHer ‘08. We have common friends, though, and have exchanged some rather hilarious emails. That girl. She is funny.
In one of our first email exchanges she told me that her named rhymed with “Banana”. In the last little while there has been a cartoon on TV that has a little girl singing, “My name is Shana. It rhymes with banana.”
I smile and think of my friend Shana every. single. time. It is a crazy sort of cool how the Internet and real life form a swirl of connection.
I am not the only one honoring Shana today. Here are some of the other lovelies paying tribute to this great woman and Mother-To-Be (Again):
I won’t make you play a lame game, but if you could pass some words of wisdom along to Shana, I am sure she will appreciate it. Advice on newborns will likely help, because if she’s anything like me, a few years can wipe out all memory of the newborn game.
My piece of advice:
Three kids is CRAZY. Two is busy, yes, but three KICKS IT UP A NOTCH. The best way to cope? I HAVE NO IDEA. Let me know if you figure it out.
I’m kidding!
But not really.
Please tell me you have something more positive to tell Shana. I would hate for her to feel like she is doomed.
15 Comments
Oh man, since I have 0 kids, I am the last one to be giving advice. Hmmmm…I would say, if you keep your awesome sense of humor, you should be just fine (I have no idea if that’s is true). Happy Baby, Shana!
punchlinewalking’s last blog post..She’s Having a Baby!*
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Comment by punchlinewalking on December 1st, 2008 @ 7:32 amPunchline stole what I was going to say! 
Other than being able to laugh when things get nutty, I have no clue how to deal with 3 children. But I think you seem to be doing pretty well with it Angella, especially considering all the other things on your plate! Congrats to Shana…
180/360’s last blog post..It’s Party Time!
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Comment by 180/360 on December 1st, 2008 @ 7:47 amAnd here you were supposed to be the expert on three kidlets. 
I have no advice except to find a reliable babysitter so she can make sure she gets “me time” and not have to hide in the bathroom for it!
sizzle’s last blog post..Shower
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Comment by sizzle on December 1st, 2008 @ 8:18 amI can barely deal with one child. I am in NO position to give advice. Cheers Shana!
whoorl’s last blog post..Ode to Shana Banana
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Comment by whoorl on December 1st, 2008 @ 8:44 amI have no advice, since I have only two cats and can’t even handle those, but just wish she has a healthy baby!
Also, we had this discussion on Thanksgiving that I will not be having any LAME showers when/if I get married and/or have kids. The shower will consist of food, booze and presents. THE END.
Kristabella’s last blog post..Happy Baconsgiving!
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Comment by Kristabella on December 1st, 2008 @ 9:20 amASK FOR HELP if you need it. Accept help when it is offered.
I see a lot of women trying to be super woman. I can do it all. If you can great, but you’ll do yourself, and especially your children a favour if you ask and accept help when you need it.
mommyknows’s last blog post..Goodbye NaBloPoMo
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Comment by mommyknows on December 1st, 2008 @ 9:28 amI have no motherly advice, but just wanted to say again for the record that you all are awesome. And also: I was just commenting on Sizzle’s site that there should be a Bad Baby Shower Support Group, wherein no toilet paper is used to measure anything, no chocolate is melted in any diapers, there is no baby food, and instead someone comes in to give us all pedicures and tell us how pretty we are.
Kerri Anne’s last blog post..Portrait Of A Thanksgiving: 2008 Edition
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Comment by Kerri Anne on December 1st, 2008 @ 11:07 amI wholeheartedly agree with Kerri Anne – I’m all for parties and showers about telling us how pretty we are hence, this virtual party IS BY FAR THE BEST!!!
Thank you all for the kind words and most of all the beautiful gift!
and don’t worry Angella, I’ll totally be calling/emailing you A LOT with advice on how to not forget about the third kid.
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Comment by gorillabuns on December 1st, 2008 @ 11:50 amNo advice here. In about 21 days, she’ll have one more child than me!
What I can offer her is love and support!!
(I’m glad we all joined in to make this happen. This has made my day!)
LVGurl’s last blog post..With a strong chance of virtual showers
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Comment by LVGurl on December 1st, 2008 @ 12:06 pmI hate showers as well, especially if they’re for me. It’s AWKWARD.
I had two wedding showers, and both were horrendously awkward, to say the least. The one was held by my church family, and they were very generous and lovely, but I hated the games and hated all the attention on me. The other one was held by my former church family (my parent’s church) that I’d left 6 years earlier and never been to again. My well-meaning aunt held it, and there were people there I hadn’t even spoken to since I left the church in my early teens. A.W.K.W.A.R.D.
Yup. I hate showers.
Mrs. Wilson’s last blog post..NaBlow Day 28: Backseat creeper
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Comment by Mrs. Wilson on December 1st, 2008 @ 12:08 pmhmmm advice… I don’t know that I have any at this very moment, but one thing that stands out to me from my experience form having my second is that the first month is easy, newborns sleep A LOT! Months 3-5 were the hardest for me and once month 6 came a long we things evened out and now we are good to go. While in the middle of it though I felt like things would never get better but they did and the always will.
Congrats to you on baby #3, I hope all goes well.
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Comment by Kristin on December 1st, 2008 @ 2:00 pmThat is so fun – what a wonderful thing to do for her! And wow, she has a lot of great bloggy friends! Amazing!
Elaine’s last blog post..It’s Up!
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Comment by Elaine on December 1st, 2008 @ 2:07 pmMy three are supposedly all “grown up”. Word of advice this too shall pass… so lame as it is, enjoy them when they are small it really is gone quite quickly. Schedule time to go out with your girlfriends for recharging time and don’t feel guilty. As for showers I have never thrown one since my sister-in-law showed up two hours late to her baby shower at my house. I had a room full of in-laws all staring at each other and not talking that was awkward! never again and that baby will be 23 in another month.
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Comment by Anne Marie on December 1st, 2008 @ 2:13 pmWhat a cool idea!
And I heart baby food applesauce.
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Comment by Fit Bottomed Girls on December 1st, 2008 @ 7:25 pmLine and paragraph breaks automatic, e-mail address never displayed, HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>
i have TOTALLY been mispronouncing her name in my head!
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Comment by ALI on December 1st, 2008 @ 7:29 am