A Shower of Blessings

Ella and I were so spoilt this weekend, with a beautiful, special baby shower.  It was hosted by my mom, sister, mom-in-law and sister-in-law.  The theme was "a shower of blessings", using umbrellas and gum boots as decoration, and a beautiful "wishing cloud" that people could write and hang their wishes on for me and Ella. So special!

They also had little cards with numbers 1 - 21, where each guest had to write a birthday note to Ella for that corresponding number that they got - so the person who got number 10 would write a note for her to get on her 10th birthday.  Love this idea, and look forward to reading these notes again in the years to come!

My friend Liezel made the cake - what a masterpiece!  I was in tears when I saw it, complete with an umbrella on top, with hearts as raindrops, and along the side in fondant icing it said Baby Ella Jill.  How perfect. Beautiful and delicious shades of pink cake inside - amazing!

My sister read this beautiful poem by E.E. Cummings:

I carry your heart with me (I carry it in my heart)
I am never without it (anywhere I go you go, my dear,
And whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart (I carry it in my heart)

Beautiful! ♥

My sister-in-law also did a beautiful speech.  She said while thinking what she wanted to write for Ella, she was inspired by God, for the following two Bible verses:
Jesaja 43:1 - Die Here het jou gemaak. Hy se vir jou, moenie bang wees nie. Ek sal jou red! Ek het jou by jou naam geroep. Jy behoort aan my.
Jeremia 1:5 - Voordat Ek jou in die moederskoot gevorm het, het Ek jou geken, voordat jy gebore word, het Ek jou aan My gewy en jou as profeet vir die nasies aangestel.

Then, she also said that the letters of Ella's name mean the following:
E: Exceptional
L: Live
L:Love
A: Ability
J: Joyful
I: Inspiration
L: Laugh
L: Lord Jesus Christ

It was truly a special baby shower, and I feel showered in blessings indeed.  There were so many special friends there, and they wrote beautiful things for me and Ella.

Our gifts included: nappies, wetwipes, beautiful clothes, Tommee Tippee bottles, toiletries, blankets, a nappy bag, a duvet set, and gift vouchers.

We ended off the weekend with a photoshoot - can't wait to see and share the piccies!
xx