Gender Reveal Party

[jlw617]

I know some women think these are incredibly selfish, I think it depends on some different factors but I am going to do a very small one with my family in June- my reason for wanting one is dh was in the military but we still live across the country and only see my family once a year so we don't get to do any special celebrations together, I've asked my family not to get any gifts, I just want them there when our 2 girls open the big box with either pink or blue balloons! I've ordered some cute mustaches and lips so everyone can hold up their guess anyone else planning on doing one?

 

[carebear1981]

Yes, I'm definitely going to do one. Its the first grandchild on both sides and I want to have the grandparents over. I don't think it's selfish at all! Everyone is excited to know and I'd rather do something special than a phone call or text.

 

[jlw617]

Thanks I don't think it's selfish either if done with the right intentions, meaning if you're not just doing it for extra attention/gifts-I know my family will be excited to find out as this may be the last niece/nephew/grandchild! My younger brother is 30 and I think is destined to be single for life haha and my older brother can't have any more as my sister in law got her tubes tied after her last one. My mom wanted me to tell her as soon as I find out but I told her I want it to be a surprise for her too, she asked if she can decorate the box that we will put the balloons in, it's so awesome that's she's been supportive from day 1 this time around, I though she'd be really upset (she hasn't reacted the best to my pregnancy announcements in the past, though she's never had a good reason not too)

 

[Indi84]

I've never heard of this, is this an American thing?
I had a baby shower and my mum 65 (uk) was amazed by it lol, she said things like that didn't happen in her day!

 

[jlw617]

I'm not sure indi, I know it's relatively a new idea in general as I don't remember hearing about them with my last baby. Its not something I'd do with a large group but o think it will be nice with just my close family, that's odd about your mom and baby shower, I'm 32 and my mom had baby showers, maybe just a cultural thing?

 

[lysrae]

I am having one only because my sister in law wanted to throw it. This is my second child so I really wasnt into it but she is super excited to do it and I felt bad saying no. My mom and friends are also throwing me a sprinkle( mini baby shower) bc my son and baby are 6 yrs apart and alot of things I had are expired or very worn from being hand me downs from my older sisters kids.

 

[jlw617]

I am having one only because my sister in law wanted to throw it. This is my second child so I really wasnt into it but she is super excited to do it and I felt bad saying no. My mom and friends are also throwing me a sprinkle( mini baby shower) bc my son and baby are 6 yrs apart and alot of things I had are expired or very worn from being hand me downs from my older sisters kids.

Awww that is sweet of your sil! I know some of my church friends will want to throw me a sprinkle as well, it's my 3rd but it's been a long journey to get here and our whole church has really been a huge part of it.

 

[lysrae]

I am having one only because my sister in law wanted to throw it. This is my second child so I really wasnt into it but she is super excited to do it and I felt bad saying no. My mom and friends are also throwing me a sprinkle( mini baby shower) bc my son and baby are 6 yrs apart and alot of things I had are expired or very worn from being hand me downs from my older sisters kids.

Awww that is sweet of your sil! I know some of my church friends will want to throw me a sprinkle as well, it's my 3rd but it's been a long journey to get here and our whole church has really been a huge part of it.

Thats so awesome church families are so amazing!

 

[daydream]

We did it with our first and it was very fun! We also did the box of balloons, it was great!

With this one I'm opting not to do a party and my mom was upset I'm not! The rest of the family had such fun with the party. But I live four hours away and I just don't want to have to drive down and keep it a secret until the party. This time we're going to take DS out to ice cream after and either get him blue (I assume bubble gum flavored) or pink ice cream and send that picture out to family. So hopefully that gets them excited enough

 

[jlw617]

Daydream-that's a cute idea! I understand not wanting to drive the four hours!

 

[LittleLala]

We aren't having one, but that's only because we are staying team yellow. I think gender reveal parties are lots of fun and exciting! I much prefer them to baby showers.
Have fun with it!

 

[spunky84]

I agree that they aren't selfish! Do people really do gifts for these things???

We did one with DD. We did a cake (we found out with our families). Had blue, pink, and yellow ducks. I made blue and pink rice crispy treats and some blue and pink balloons. We ordered pizza for everyone.

It was relatively simple, but fun!

We opted out with this one. We found out at 13+6 from a blood test, so it was a little bit different. If we did one with this one, I wanted to find out with everyone else as it doesn't feel the same if we know and no one else does. Plus I wasn't sure if we should do a cake again and couldn't think of any other ideas. Then we got the results much sooner than we expected and we were too excited to wait lol

But we did open the results with my family on skype! DH's family doesn't get into that stuff all that much so we just sent them texts/called.

 

[jlw617]

Thanks littlelala, that makes sense

Spunky84- that sounds fun, we are going to keep it very low key as well, probably just pizza and cupcakes, haha and yes I know some people will do big ones, go all out with gifts and all and have a shower on top of it! Ours is so small that no one else not even our other family will know about it, I just don't want a big deal about it and don't want people's feelings to be hurt about not being invited.

 

[lysrae]

My SIL is pplanning on doing the box of balloons too! She doesnt want to know either so she is handing the envelope to the person at the party store and leaving it in their hands! I just hope they dont mess it up!

 

[jlw617]

That's so fun lysrae, I have debated about not finding out myself either until the reveal party so I can find out with everyone else but I don't think I can hold out!!!

 

[Kiki1993]

Here in the UK baby showers are just becoming a thing! My friend had a gender reveal meal where after main course she released the baloon and it was a boy! Only thing is with us my family don't believe in anything like this, they don't like baby showers, weddings, graduation parties etc.. anything that costs them money in gifts pretty much. You would think being the first in my family to have a graduation, the first to be getting married etc they would be thrilled.. nope. When they were saying all the good of being pregnant (they want me to have a kid) i said yeah ic ant wait for a baby shower and revealing gender and stuff and they all were like "they are just excuses to try get more gifts from your family and friends... no point in them they just cost money"
I love the thought of them but might do seperate ones for my family and his family, like just tell my family in person seperately so it's not a "party" but do the balloon thing with them still, then have his family round (they all meet every sunday) so tell them in one as a brunch themed gender reveal.. then a facebook announcement for friends ... that or have everyone round our house, less hassle for us... just tell them to come if they want to find out gender with everyone else, explain no gifts necessary as it is just a gender reveal, and just lay out a little buffet and do something fun but i doubt we wil just because how negative my side is. I mean they are already ruining our wedding plans, some one liners from my mother:
- on dress shopping "it's not my thing"
-going to venue "i dont like that kinda thing"
-"do i have to contibute anything?"
My brother
-"whats the point, you've been together so long already"
-"just an over priced party"
-"its just a pice of paper"
My sister
-"do i have to pay my dress"
-"do i have to pay the hen"
-"how much do i have to plan in terms of wedding?"
-"how much do i contribute for hen?"

Makes me sad, his family is so supportive and happy and mines is just so negative.

 

[babyvaughan]

I did one, and not for gifts I didn't even know people brought gifts to them lol. Ours was lips/mustache themed it was just with his family (siblings, parents, aunt & uncle, cousin) It was so much fun and I have there reaction on video, I watch it over and over all these months later lol. We had lip & mustache cookies, blue/pink decor, snacks, punch, and a cake that was half blue, half pink and they all got a candle to put on which side they were on. So many thought I was having a girl so they were shocked when it was a BOY! We did the box reveal with balloons, I painted the box black with pink & blue hearts on it with question marks.

 

[jessmke]

We aren't doing one because we are staying team yellow. It's so funny, everyone asks me if we're going to find out the gender, and when I say no they are shocked because now I won't be able to have a gender reveal party! I've never been to one, they seem like a pretty new thing but the idea is catching on fast!

 

[jlw617]

Kiki-I had heard as much about showers and such being sort of new in the UK and other places, I'm sorry your family is being so unsupportive with everything!!!

babyvaughan- that's what we're doing too with the box! How funny!

Jessmke-I know what you mean about it catching on so fast! I also had never heard about it until maybe 2 years ago! And now it seems like everyone is having one!

 

[BethMaassen]

I did one with my first pregnancy, It wasn't the best. But still fun.
(And my sister is one of those people who think it is incredibly selfish and told me I wasn't allowed to have a baby shower because of it, but that's a story for another time.)

as for this time, I probably will. I am thinking pink or blue confetti inside balloons and then have guests pop their balloons. Last time I ordered a cake and had the bakery color the filling at pink or blue. For theme I am not too sure of at the moment. Last time I just did pink and blue onesies, and very simple. But if I am correct in my calculations, I will not even get to know the gender until sometime in August. So I have plenty time to plan.

As is I am only 8+4 weeks along, and I haven't even had my first sonogram yet. I am convinced we're having twins. everything and every feeling makes me think this. Though I am hoping for just one bambino. And if twins, I am not sure how I will go about it.