We don’t find out the gender of our offspring.
We keep packages unwrapped until after the baby comes home.
We don’t have baby showers.

Instead, we have “Meet the Baby” parties after the baby shows up.

Sunday, we had our “Meet the Dottie” lunch at the local brewery.

We decorated with paper chains, balloons and flowers.
I kept things simple by only working in yellow and white.
I kept things simpler by only using items from a local Safeway.

Paper chains were made fancier by cutting them the long way down the paper, ½ inch thin, just in yellow and white.
I have a big paper cutter, so I just chopped the white and yellow construction paper, lickety split.

I bought regular helium-filled latex balloons (11 white, 10 yellow) from the floral department at the local big-chain grocery store. From that same floral department, I bought a few mixed bouquets from the display. At home, I separated all the flowers and then I reassembled bouquets in vases and pint glasses to take to the restaurant.

We filled goodie bags with cookies, chocolate and dried cranberries.
(What else do you put in a goodie bag, really?)

Internet luminaries @Aubs, Maggie and Leah all made their luminous appearances.
Shiny.
Luminous.
Luminy.

Little children ran together, jumping off of winery steps and carrying rocks to and fro.
Little children shared and played and
one even achieved his first elbowscrape.

My sister, my mom, stepdad, bocce team, local friends, far away friends, all joined me in a delicious meal — especially the Scharffenberger Semolina Porter cake.

Don’t believe me?
Download the menu.

Awesome, right?

I know, our superstition makes no logical sense.  But if it results in a party like we had Sunday, with good-smelling hugs and jumping children, well, get me some chicken feet.

Also, for your Rabbit Rabbit yay day, join me this month of March on Twitter.
I’m tweeting two entertaining tips every day for the entire month.

the hearns!

Originally uploaded by Willo

Willo took this at our “Meet the Baby” party. Our first family photo!