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My beautiful baby shower in California

August 14, 2017 By Ashley 22 Comments

Another weekend, another baby shower! Wow! I’m so grateful for all of the people who have truly showered me/us over the last week on both coasts in both of my homes. This past weekend, I had a baby shower here in the Bay Area, hosted by three of my girlfriends.

And in case you missed it, the weekend before, my wonderful Momma and future sister-in-law hosted an absolutely lovely baby shower for me at my parent’s house in Florida, with all of my dear friends, whom I’ve known for years, in attendance. So fun!

Ashley at my baby shower by A Lady Goes West

(In love with my shower dress for the day and with this little “ahoy” cupcake!)

The three girlfriends who hosted this shower, Jen, Kylie and Clare, are all part of our East Bay of San Francisco rotating dinner group of couples, who basically adopted Dave and me when we moved out to the East Bay from the City more than two years ago. They are the sweetest, and we all live within five minutes of each other. We hang out pretty often, and they are always my dates to all of the Golden State Warriors home games that I attend, so you probably recognize their faces — two of them are also fellow Warriors wives.

Hostesses of my California baby shower by A Lady Goes West

(The ladies! Kylie, Clare, Jen and me.)

A few months ago, they offered to throw me a little shower here, and I was so excited and surprised, because I wasn’t entirely sure if I would have a baby shower in California at all. Well, I did. And it was awesome!

The party was held at Rustic Tavern in downtown Lafayette, which is a beautiful restaurant just a town over from Walnut Creek. It was a luncheon, which started around 11:30 a.m. and lasted a couple of hours. 

Table setting at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

Nothing Bundt Cakes by A Lady Goes West

(These adorable and delicious cupcakes were from Nothing Bundt Cakes, and you’ll see my personal favorites of carrot cake and red velvet thrown into the mix. Of course cream cheese frosting had to make an appearance!)

There were 13 ladies in attendance, some of whom I met shortly after moving to San Francisco, who still live in the City, three family members, including Dave’s little sister and my cousin, one of Dave’s coworkers and a bunch of my East Bay lady friends, who all reside in or around Walnut Creek.

Ashley with cousins at my California baby shower by A Lady Goes West

(My beautiful cousins — Karen, who lives in Mendocino and Kayla, who lives in SF.)

Ashley with Gwena at my baby shower by A Lady Goes West

(My little sister-in-law, Dave’s sister, Gwena, who lives in Santa Cruz.)

We had a big area of the restaurant reserved for us, and the table was decorated with bright sunflowers and lots of navy nautical elements. I happen to love the nautical theme, and it was carried throughout, all the way from the adorable invitations, to the favors, to the cupcakes, to even the “wish cards,” which all of the ladies filled out. Kylie is super talented with design (among other things) and handled all of the printed elements, with her usual amazing style. So classy and just my taste!

Ahoy baby shower invites by A Lady Goes West

(AHOY! Ashley is having a BOY!)

We all sat around the table chatting, and most of the ladies had mimosas (not me, sob sob) as we shared a ton of delicious appetizers, like bruschetta, hummus, salad, veggie sandwiches, truffle fries and of course, cupcakes. The food just kept coming! And I mean, truffle fries? Yes, please.

Hummus appetizer at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

(Can you see the favors? Blue-toned OPI nail polishes, with a card that said, “mani thanks.”)

I sat at one end of the table with a few friends whom I don’t get to see all that often, and it was great catching up with them.

The majority of the group included ladies who already have one or two little babies, so they were quick to share some advice and talk to me about my questions and concerns, as well as share some funny stories about all things pregnancy. (Hey want to hear what you really need to know about childbirth and raising a baby? Check out this post with advice from real moms!)

After eating and hanging out for a couple of hours, I opened some presents. I got a ton of cute baby boy clothes and quite a few things from my registry, like this baby bath tub, this bouncing chair and this Rock n’ Play too and even a gift certificate for a pre-natal massage. So much awesome loot!

Baby spa gift at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

Warriors baby clothes gifts at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

Baby clothes gifts at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

Before we wrapped up the celebration, we went outside to take a group photo, and I’m glad we did, so we could capture all of the beautiful ladies in attendance.

This shower was just perfect. It was a little smaller and more intimate than my Florida shower, and was absolutely the perfect way to hang out casually, with the added festivity of a celebration. Loved it!

Beautiful ladies at Rustic Tavern baby shower by A Lady Goes West

Beautiful ladies at Rustic Tavern in Lafayette baby shower by A Lady Goes West

I can’t thank the sweet hostesses, Jen, Clare and Kylie, enough for making it such a special day for me and for all the other gals who came too. 

And now Dave and I are so incredibly outfitted with baby gear that all we need to do is get it organized and unpacked and then pick up a few more essentials before we’re ready for the Baby Goes West’s arrival in less than two months! And no, our nursery is nowhere near complete, so stay tuned for more on that.

After these two showers, the special events are over for me until the big day comes. However, Dave is lucky to be having a dad-chelor weekend with a bunch of his guy friends, so he’ll have an entirely different kind of party to look forward to in just a few weeks. While he’s gone, I’ll be home nesting, resting and eating sweets and wishing I had a chance to wear this dress just one more time. Maternity clothing with extra room for the belly is really starting to grow on me … 🙂 

Ashley at 31 weeks at my California baby shower by A Lady Goes West

I hope you had a wonderful weekend, my friends! That’ll do it for today!

Check out all of my other pregnancy-related posts here. And I’ll see you back here soon!

Pictures and fun from a beautiful #babyshower in the East Bay by @apstyle ... Click To Tweet

Questions of the day

How was your weekend?

What’s the most memorable favor you’ve ever received from a party or shower? 

Filed Under: Baby, Pregnancy Tagged With: baby boy shower, baby clothes, baby shower, California, East Bay, Lafayette, pregnancy, Rustic Tavern

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About Ashley

I'm a mom and fitness instructor in Charlotte, North Carolina. And A Lady Goes West is where I share fitness, wellness and clean beauty tips, as well as stories from my life.
 
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Comments

  1. Heather @Lunging Through Life says

    August 14, 2017 at 3:57 am

    I love the theme! What a sweet gesture for your friends to throw you one. It all looks like it was so perfect for you!
    Heather @Lunging Through Life recently posted…Date Night!My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:45 am

      Hi Heather! I love the theme too! It was super sweet. I know why they call it a shower hahaha — I was showered with good stuff! Hope your weekend was great, Momma! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Susie @ Suzlyfe says

    August 14, 2017 at 4:47 am

    So so gorgeous and so sweet of your friends! I don’t know if I will be able to have an actual baby shower–my friends are so spread out across the country. So happy that yours are able to come together for you!
    Susie @ Suzlyfe recently posted…The Serious and the Frivolous (Weekend Recap)My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:44 am

      Hi Susie! I know! I wasn’t sure how my shower situation would go down too — but my Mom wanted to do one for all the East Coast peeps, and my friends here wanted to do one for all the West Coast peeps, and it was perfect. You never know, your people may come up with something cool for you, without you even needing to suggest heheheh! 🙂 Hope your weekend was fab and you are feeling good!

      Reply
  3. Ashley says

    August 14, 2017 at 5:28 am

    What an adorable shower theme, I love nautical anything as well! Happy that you had a chance to have two great showers and help you get prepared for your baby boy! Also, your dress is so gorgeous and you look absolutely amazing 🙂

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:43 am

      Hi Ashley! Thank you so much! You are the sweetest! And yes, I feel so lucky that we have friends and family that have totally helped us get everything we need for the babe. So awesome! Hope your weekend was great, lady! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Carrie this fit chick says

    August 14, 2017 at 6:27 am

    Your dress looks INCREDIBLE on you!!! I love the little Warriors gear- that baby is going to be a Dubs fan from the VERY start!
    Carrie this fit chick recently posted…Recipes, Round-Ups and Q+AMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:43 am

      Hi Carrie! Hope your weekend was lovely, lady! We are getting “SF” weather in WC right now — windy, foggy and cool. YAY! hahah Anyways, yes — we have a bunch of Warriors gear for the little guy, starting with a onesie! OF COURSE! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Patricia @sweet and strong says

    August 14, 2017 at 7:17 am

    What an adorable shower and loving that dress on you! And omg the little Warriors gear, why are kids clothes the cutest! I would want to buy everythinggggg.
    Patricia @sweet and strong recently posted…Tabata Cardio and Booty Workout Featuring Vie ActivewearMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:42 am

      Hi Patricia! I seriously just keep playing with all the very TINY clothes that we have for him. Baby clothes are the best. Everything is adorable! It’s too bad there’s a chance he will only wear things once as he grows hahaha. Hope your weekend was fab, lady! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Emily @ Pizza &Pull-ups says

    August 14, 2017 at 7:57 am

    That dress is gorgeous on you!!! I love Nothing Bundt Cakes, I had that at my baby shower for son, their frosting is so yummy!
    Emily @ Pizza &Pull-ups recently posted…Weekend recap – best-laid plans + super quick dessert recipeMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:41 am

      Oh cool! I love the little cakes! We have a NBC store near us, and clearly I need to go in there more often when I’m in need of a festive dessert. Hope your weekend was great, lady! 🙂

      Reply
  7. Meah Konstanzer says

    August 14, 2017 at 8:33 am

    What a fun party!! I love the pretty pink flowers on that dress. I’m totally team cream cheese frosting too 🙂 .

    xxMeah
    Meah Konstanzer recently posted…Almond Butter Kale Caesar with Broiled Peach and Maple Almond ClustersMy Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 8:40 am

      Hi Meah! Thank you! And there is no dessert that does not taste amazing if it has cream cheese frosting on it heheh! Hope you had a fab weekend, lady! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Courtney A. Casto says

    August 14, 2017 at 9:43 am

    Absolutely stunning Ashley! I don’t have kids but I love buying little baby clothes for my friends – they are just the cutest!

    I know everyone talks about the sweets but that picture of veggies and hummus caught my eye. Yum!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 14, 2017 at 10:23 am

      Hi Courtney! Thank you so much for saying hi! 🙂 And heyyyy that hummus was delish! As far as baby clothes — agreed — I always loved looking at them and buying them before getting pregnant too. They are so small and cute haha! Hope you had a great weekend, lady!

      Reply
  9. Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness says

    August 14, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    There are so many things that I dig in this photo… First, your baby bump is adorable, and I love your dress! The nautical party theme is super cute – I’m going to have to keep that idea in mind for future party planning for sisters or friends. And the party favors are cute too! It sounds like your loved ones have spoiled you with baby shower fun lately 🙂
    Nicole @ Foodie Loves Fitness recently posted…Raspberry Chocolate Chip “Nice” Cream with Fresh Berries [vegan + gluten free]My Profile

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 15, 2017 at 8:38 am

      Hi Nicole! Thanks so much! And yes — I have been pretty spoiled with the past two showers, so I’m grateful for that. And I’ve always loved the nautical theme! Definitely mark that down for any future hosting that you do! Hope you have a great day, lady! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Maureen Feeney says

    August 15, 2017 at 7:06 am

    What a beautiful shower! How lucky to be surrounded by so many women who want to celebrate this milestone with you.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 15, 2017 at 8:36 am

      Hi Maureen! Thank you so much for reading and saying hi! Yes, it was such a fun celebration with so many good people in my life! 🙂

      Reply
  11. dixya @food, pleasure, and health says

    August 15, 2017 at 10:23 am

    what an adorable and thoughtful shower..you look gorgeous in that dress!!

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      August 15, 2017 at 3:29 pm

      Thank you so much, Dixya!! 🙂 Baby showers are super fun. Hope you are having a great day, my friend!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Ashley. I'm a mom and fitness instructor living in Charlotte, North Carolina. I love to help you live a balanced life with no extremes, making sure you never skip a rest day. A Lady Goes West is where I share my workouts, simple meals, clean beauty tips and wellness insight with you. Find out more about me and stay awhile!

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I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer t I've got to be honest, I'm much more of a writer than an Instagrammer and many times I feel like what I want to share doesn't fit well into a grid. But I'm able to bring much more long-form content to my blog each week. Speaking of that, this week, I debuted a new series called "A Lady Goes West Advice Corner" which has been something I've wanted to put together for a while. In this series, I'm taking totally anonymous questions from YOU and giving you some neutral third-party advice on it all. Here are the questions I addressed in the first advice corner edition:
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-“I became a first-time mom last spring and am currently dealing with all things motherhood. How do I deal with my expectations vs. reality of being a mom?" (such a good one, and I've been there)
-“How do you deal with days when you don't love your body? I think we can all relate to looking in the mirror and being disappointed with what we see?" (this happens to us all)
-“How do you deal with comparing yourself to others on social media and not feeling like everyone is doing things better than you?" (spoiler alert: everyone has their issues that you don't see)
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The answers are long, they come from my heart, and I hope they can provide some value to you! If this is something you're interested in, head over to A Lady Goes West today to check it out, and you can submit a question for the next edition.
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Here's the direct link: https://aladygoeswest.com/ask-me-anything-a-lady-goes-west-advice-corner-first-edition/
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HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Char HOME! We closed on and moved into our home in Charlotte over the weekend, and we're so excited to get settled in our new neighborhood, city and state after many weeks of transition. In honor of this momentous occasion, I thought it would be fun to look back at the places Dave and I have lived together over the last 12 years. Here's what it has looked like -- and each place has been special for different reasons:
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-2009-2012 in a high-rise condo in downtown Orlando, where we lived when we got married.
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Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on other Soulmates. ❤️ Whether you’re loving on others or just yourself today, my little crew is wishing you a wonderful Valentine’s Day!
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I wrote a whole post about this topic on A Lady Goes West this week if this is of interest to you, and you can head on over and check it out. I'd love to know: What's something (random or not) that you've added to your life in the last year that you now love?
Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gy Over the weekend, I stepped foot into a big-box gym for the first time in more than 11 months. How did I feel about it? Mixed ... When we left California, gyms were still closed, and once we got to North Carolina, I was so used to not going to the gym, I didn't even think about going. After being here a month, I finally decided to get a guest pass at a gym near me, and I went twice. Here are my thoughts on the experience: 
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At first, I felt so excited to drive up and go in and work out in a big space with a lot of equipment and not be at home. But then reality sank in: Even though masks were required and there were signs everywhere reminding people, about half the folks in the gym had their masks off or had them down around their chin. Ummm, not cool. I get it, working out with a mask on sucks, but rules are rules, folks. I also didn't like that it was busier than I expected, and quite a bit of the equipment I wanted to use was occupied. That never happens at home.
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