Oh how fun the second trimester was! When I finally got over the blues and waves of the first trimester, I felt human again. But there was still a lot of waiting to do - after all, I was only halfway through the pregnancy - so I needed to find something to fill my days with.

The Baby Shower! I defied the rule that said it had to be thrown by family and friends. In true maternal (and perfectionist?) form, I decided to do it myself. As the invite said, I wanted it to be, 'a celebration of thanksgiving and joy'. We've waited for this baby for a while so this mama (and papa) had every reason to throw a party, right?

First, the theme. I didn't want the party to literally say BABY! so I searched for the perfect theme to tie everything together. Considering that our baby would be born during summer (and we were all beginning to feel the heatwave), I just knew that it had to be TROPICAL. So I scoured the city - mostly from my laptop - for suppliers of garden chairs, monstera leaves, orchids, seashells, starfishes, and tropical flowers. It was so exciting to do it myself because I learned how to be resourceful and creative... At first I thought I needed a stylist but when they gave such exorbitant rates for a baby shower, I knew that it was time for me to learn how to plan parties on my own.

Second, the dessert table. A baby shower is the perfect excuse to let the sweet tooth run wild. While I wish I could have baked for that special day, I knew that my pregnant body wouldn't be able to handle it. So I called on the experts and asked for their helping hand: my talented sister-in-law for the stunning three-tiered mocha cake, my generous friend for the tangy lemon cupcakes, Marie Gonzalez for the beautiful lavender and kalamansi cupcakes, and The Little Whisk for the cute flamingo sugar cookies. All the goodies were beautiful, tropical, and delicious, thanks to these awesome bakers.

Third, the surprise. The ultimate reason why my husband and I wanted one big baby shower was for the surprise gender reveal. For two months, we made everyone think that we didn't know the gender of our precious baby when we really did. It was so hard to keep it to ourselves but we knew that it would be worth it when we would see all their reactions at the same time. Luckily, I was able to find a supplier who could make a stork piñata from which the colored confetti would fall out. It was so amusing to see everyone surprised because right from the get go, majority of family and friends (maybe 95%) thought we were having a girl. Their faces were priceless when blue confetti came falling out!

Ultimately, I was so thankful for the energy I had to plan the baby shower as I was able to get my creative juices flowing; for the husband, family, and friends who became my hands and feet on the day itself; and, of course, for the baby we all came together for. None of this would have happened if it weren't for the miracle of the babe in my womb. He's the one who gave purpose to it all. So this is how it feels like to be parents... well, just a tiny glimpse of it. Tiny but amazing, nonetheless.

Aloha, Baby D!