Itz Holistically Wholesome

Having a baby is a big deal, and there are many thoughts and preparations to ensure everything is in place to cater to the baby’s everyday needs. Initially, I was not so enthused about having a baby shower. I felt that it requires too much time, energy, and unnecessary spending, especially when we need to be conscious of our spending. However, after learning that a few thoughtful individuals were planning one on our family’s behalf, I was impressed to get on board and make it a reality.

My daughter Aliyah was quite excited and assumed the event’s host role. She created the invitation and baby registry and connected with the persons playing significant roles in this event.

Invitation – We selected Evite for our invitations because we found it convenient and complimentary. We used their templates to create a beautiful yet simple invitation, but we also sent a thank you message to all our guests. You can check them out at https://www.evite.com.

Baby Registry – For the baby registry, we used Babylist, and the link to our registry is http://babylist.com/tomika-chance. We chose this platform because we could add links to various sites such as Amazon, Target, Buybuybaby, Walmart, and others. This way, you get to choose your favorite baby items and have them under one umbrella. In addition, they also compare the prices to ensure that you are getting the best value. The link to their website is https://www.babylist.com.

Venue – As you may have realized, we are a Christian family, so it is no surprise that we chose to have our baby shower at our church. My hubby and I also got married at this church, and it was the first church I fell in love with when I moved to Brooklyn years ago. However, we could have made a better decision, and the support was terrific. So if you are looking for a home church, Check out Amazing Grace SDA at 901 Pine Street, Brooklyn, NY 11208.

Decorations– The decor for the event was stunning. My daughter chose a somewhat pastel theme with lots of pink in various shades. The night before the baby shower, they stayed up until 4 am working on the beautiful balloon garland! The centerpieces for the table were a small round mirror with a vase containing cream flowers. The main table was even more stunning.

They even set up an area to take pictures!

Party Favors – I had previously ordered party favors on Amazon, which did not arrive in time. Little did I know that they had this all sorted out; if I am honest, it was for the best because this went well with the theme. So for the party favors, they printed labels for the water bottles and bags of chips that said, “A New Arrival.” I loved it.

Menu – We had a plantbased Menu, and most of our food was homemade. The menu consisted of Barbecue tofu bites, Ginger Chick’N, vegan and vegetarian Macaroni & Cheese. We also had Chickpeas with white potatoes in turmeric sauce, Fried rice, Guyanese style Cho mein, Roti, and Buss-up shots. In addition, we had a fresh spring mix with lettuce and Israeli salad for salad. Desserts included vegan and vegetarian rainbow cheese sandwiches, cupcakes, and sweet biscuits. The juices were carrot and a red juice mix.

Cakes – We had two cakes for this event: a vegetarian cake from Bj’s and a vegan Cake from Rose Valley Cakes. The vegan cake was delicious. However, I could not tell how the other cake tasted since I did not eat any because it contained eggs.

Thank You – I want to say a special thank you to everyone who came out to support us. Thank you also for the gifts. We appreciate you all! I, however, want to give a special shout-out to persons who worked assiduously to make this possible.

Sister Shermaine – You went all out to ensure the venue looked beautiful. We appreciate you and rest assured, I will be the first to recommend you to anyone looking for a party decorator.

Sister Tina Phillips – You got on board with this project and followed through until the end guiding and supporting Aliyah. You are amazing.

Sister Yolanda Baptiste– One of the most supportive people I have come to know. It makes it even more enjoyable knowing that we both share a love for cooking and that Vegan Mac & Cheese was bussing.

Sister Scott – You are such a kind and gentle soul. Thank you for everything you have done to make this day even more special. You are a God-sent.

Sister Marcia Kitson – You are one of the most helpful people I know. I was in awe to see you bent over removing the stains from the church carpets. Thank you so much.

Sister June– My love, my dove. That vegetarian Mac & Cheese I heard tasted great. I am not surprised because I know firsthand what a great cook you are. It was a pleasure having you there.

Sister Shontay – You are a quiet person in nature but a hands-on person nonetheless. Thanks so much for all your help.

Sister Dana Thorpe – You are always the first person I contact about anything at Amazing Grace SDA. I appreciate you so much.

Elder Abram – Ever since we met you, you have always been there for every significant event in our lives. We love and appreciate you so much.

To my daughter Aliyah, you did it, girl, and we are so proud of you.

Finally, without God, none of this would have been possible, so my biggest shout-out goes to him. I thank Him for placing some fantastic people in our lives.

PS: you can see an overview of the baby shower on your youtube channel. The link is