Baby, Baby, Baby, Oh

Our friends are having a baby so a bunch of us got together for a baby shower.

Baby showers in Europe are not like in the US in that, well, they don’t have them. People may send or give a gift after the baby is born, but don’t get together to celebrate of give presents before the baby.  Since you can’t go to the stores here and purchase baby shower invitations, I made the invitations.

It was a couples shower so we focused less on games, decorations and incredible cuteness.  Instead, we had food and drinks.  I made and individually wrapped Rice Krispie Treats for favors.  Some of our European guests had never tasted them before.  We were proud to introduce them to a new guilty pleasure.

Since we are American and can only adapt so much, we had one anyway.  In deference to the multicultural nature of this shower, we did not play any of the following games:

• Guessing the circumference of the expectant mother’s tummy
• Smearing melted candy bars in diapers and have people sniff to guess the brand
• Tasting jars of baby food to guess the flavors
• Collecting baby pictures of guests, putting them in a slide show and have guests guess whose picture it is
• Making guess drink from baby bottles. Yes, I realize this is technically not a game.  They may have drunk from other types of bottles.
• Have guests guess how much an assortment of baby supplies costs.  In Switzerland, I think this would only scare the parents to be…and everyone else.

In fact, we didn’t play any games (unless you count the impromptu Chartreuse tasting as a game).

The parents-to-be opened presents, many of which had an adorable Swiss theme.

Congratulations and best wishes guys.  We can’t wait to meet her.

This Is The Big News Over Here?

I’m not sure how much coverage this is getting in the States, but Carla Bruni Sarkozy‘s pregnancy has gotten nonstop coverage here.  She was photographed incessantly every time she left the house while pregnant.  Befitting the first lady of France, she was, of course, very stylishly attired throughout.  Nevertheless, she did not really wear heals during her pregnancy.*

Wednesday, she had the baby and the First Baby of France (the first baby born to a serving president) is huge news here.  Unfortunately, Sarkozy was not able to be present during the birth because he was in meetings over the tanking Euro.  He did, however, make it to her bedside for about 30 minutes.  Mother and baby are reported to be doing well.  They named the baby girl Giulia. 

Here’s a quote from the magazine I read last weekend (and I know you can’t believe everything you read).   It (roughly) translates to: “frankly, I can’t stand it any more.  I have to stay sitting down or lying down most of the time.  I can’t drink or smoke any more.  I’m in a hurry to get it over with.”   She was almost two weeks overdue when she had the baby.   

France is in the middle of elections that were predicted to be difficult for Sarkozy.  Cynical French say that the baby was planned to coincide with the election in an attempt to experience a “baby bump” at the polls.  It’s not unprecedented.

Sorry for the poor pic, but you can still (barely) see how it’s done

*As she is taller than her husband, she never wears any real heels anyway.  You will notice too that she always walks a bit behind him so that his short stature is not as apparent in photographs.  Perhaps he should try that trick, I could look tall too?