One of your best girlfriends is about to welcome a new baby into their lives and you get the privilege of giving her a baby shower! Relax...hosting a baby shower doesn't have to be an overwhelming experience. Be inspired! You are about to be armed with the cutest baby shower ideas for throwing an incredible baby shower!

Make it one to remember by following these simple steps:

1) Meet with the mom-to-be for coffee (she'll be having decaf of course!)

*Come up with a guest list/addresses
*Decide on a good date/time to have the shower (usually 2-3 months before she is due)
*Find out if she is registered at any baby stores

2) Make or Buy Invitations: Send invitations out about 3 weeks before the shower. Some clever invitation ideas are to type out shower details on the computer using a cute font. Print out on decorative paper or vellum. Decorate with cute embellishments (found at craft stores) such as little pacifiers, bottle, or baby feet. Scrapbook magazines always have great ideas for making invitations.

Be sure to include: *Who the baby shower is for
*Date and time
*Where it will be held
*Given by
*RSVP
*If the mom-to-be is registered anywhere
*Directions

3) Theme: Add some pizazz to the shower by giving it a hip theme! Some cute baby shower ideas for themes are:

*Bun in the Oven: Serve cinnamon rolls (buns) and hand out cinnamon roll candles for favors (found online or at candle shops.)

*Decorate in Ducks: Have rubber duckies floating in the punch bowl. Serve water in wine glasses with mini-ducks in them. Have blue and yellow balloons and some duck shaped mylar balloons floating around the room! For party favors, hand out little ducky soaps wrapped in cellophane and tied with a cute bow!

*Choose a Jazzy Color: Maybe the color of the nursery, or the mom-to-be's favorite color. We'll use red as an example. Decorate with red balloons, red plates, napkins, tableware. For the centerpiece, use a small red wagon and fill with stuffed animals, baby toys, lotions, pacifiers and give to the mom to take home at the end of the shower! Serve chocolate dipped strawberries, red finger jello cut into baby-themed shapes and a red velvet chocolate cake!

*All About Baby: Use receiving blankets as tablecloths, baby bottles for vases, empty baby food jars for tealite holders and toy key rings as napkin holders!

*Survivor Theme: This works great for an outdoor baby shower! Decorate with tiki torches. Serve mock Mai Tai's and play survivor style music. Play the "food challenge" game where blindfolded guests have to guess which type of baby food they are eating. Hand out "survivor bandanas" (like they receive on thew show) as favors.

4) Is it a Good Idea to Play Games? Some people love to play games at showers, and others cringe at the thought of it. Games are a great way to loosen the guests up a bit. Not everyone always knows each other at a shower and games tend to break the ice. Play it safe by picking only a couple of games.

*Take a Mint: As guests come through the door offer them some mints (or any small candy in a bowl.) After everyone has arrived, go around the room and have each person tell an interesting fact (or facts) about themselves. How ever many mints they have taken is the amount of interesting facts they have to divulge.

* What's in a Purse: Make a list of about 8 random items (spoon, ultity bill, gum, etc.) Things normally not found in a purse. (You would be suprised what some women have in their purse.) Call each item out and the first person who shouts out "I've got that", wins! You have a winner for each item.

Some cute prize ideas are: candles, lotions, nail polish, coffee shop gift card, decorative soaps

5) Baby Shower Ideas for Food and Drinks: Let's face it, it's all about the food! People love to eat, so be sure to feed them some fabulous fixin's! There are many avenues you can take when planning your baby shower menu. The best advice is to keep it simple. You don't want to be cooking all day. Nor will you have the time for it. A few fabulous appetizers, some drinks and a cake will be perfect!

Try these scrumptious recipes:

Mini Chicken Salad Croissants 1 1/2 c. cooked chicken breast, minced 1/4 c. mayonnaise 1/2 c. minced celery 1/4 c. cashews, broken into bits Combine ingredients and scoop onto mini croissants. Also delicious on baguette slices, crackers or mini pitas!

Raspberry Punch 2- 2 liters of lemon-lime soda 1/2 gallon raspberry sherbet Place ingredients in a punch bowl, let melt a bit and serve! So simple and yummy!

Not everyone drinks punch so it is a good idea to have bottled water, coffee and wine available.

6) Picking the Perfect Cake: Baby shower cakes have moved to new levels of cuteness! Whether you order from a baker or choose to make your own, the options are adorable! If you choose to make your own, check out your local craft or kitchen supply store for cute cake pans. They have pans shaped as baby bottles, feet, rattles, you name it! Wilton.com has a great variety of supplies and cute cake pictures.

Some cute sayings to put on the cake are: *Happy Labor Day *Oh, Baby! *Baby Cakes!

Relax and have fun!