Stylish Labor & Delivery Hospital Gown... Check!!!

Dressed & Ready For The Big Birth Day!

Today I'm 38-1/2 weeks into our surrogacy journey.  Yep!  This baby will be here very soon.  I've never went a full 40 weeks with any of my children, and I don't expect to with this one either.  Yesterday we even had an OB appointment.  I'm already 4cm dilated and had my membranes swept.  Baby's mommy has been here a week getting everything ready, and daddy just arrived on a plane all the way from the UK.  My bags are packed (almost), and we're registered at the hospital.  We are so ready to go!!!! ... almost...

Ever since our doctor appointment yesterday I've been contracting on and off, and you know what was on my mind?  You would probably think excitement for the big day (yes, that was there).  You might think worry since the baby's daddy wouldn't be here for a few more hours (yep, I was thinking that too).  You might think disappointment since my doctor won't be on call till Friday (you'd be right again).  All those things were running through my head.  What was running through my head the most though?  You might laugh, but I was thinking "No!  Not yet.  I still have to go pick up my super cute hospital gown!!!!"  

Yep, this gown is birth ball approved!

It was a decision I had made just this week.  Sure, the regular hospital gowns are fine and dandy, but I've done that style 3 times now.  Back in February, this baby's mommy told me I should dress up for the occasion and wear whatever I want to.  Comfortable, glam, toned down, or dressed up... why not try something new?  I thought about it for months, but didn't really look for or purchase anything.  I even thought about sewing something for awhile, but being as busy as I am, that wasn't going to happen.  I even saw that another friend of mine had a pretty dress that she had made up just for the occasion.  Then this week I decided to check out what was available online.  I found a few sites, and then remembered that a local doula and her daughter also made maternity hospital gowns.  Bonus!  I love working with local businesses.  As soon as I checked out the Birth Day Suits website I knew I just had to have one!!!  So many to choose from though.  How would I ever choose in such a short amount of time?  Luckily the company is local, so I headed over there yesterday to try on a few and instantly fell in love with one the second I tried it on.  It was magic!

Nifty little snap down straps

I chose a beautiful black and white chevron dress in their Piper dress style.  It was no easy task though.  They have tons of fabric options and 8 gown styles that all look amazing!  I love how functional they are too.  For those that want something easy to get on and off, adjustable, plus easy access in case you need an epidural, the back crosses over and is secured with ties like a standard maternity gown.  For those that want to breastfeed, there are also snaps on the shoulder straps for easy access when breastfeeding.  I won't be breastfeeding, but I will be pumping in order to get all the benefits of breastfeeding.  And you can't ignore all the style that comes with this gown.  I love the pleated neckline, the pretty accent trim at the bottom, and the satin ribbon that you can tie just under your breasts.  That's my favorite part.  So much more flattering when you can accentuate the belly, although I hear some women tie the ribbon in their hair and leave the dress flowing.  

So now I'm officially ready for the big day!!!!  I can't wait for it to come.  Mommy and Daddy are here, I'm packed and ready to roll, and I have my gown ready for the ball (can you tell I'm watching Cinderella right now with that reference?).  Let's get this party started!!... soon.  Still waiting for my doctor to go on call.  Come on Friday!

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If you want more information about how you too can get one of these awesome gowns, check out their official Birth Day Suit Maternity website, or browse some of the dresses they currently have up on their Birth Day Suit Maternity Etsy Page.  You know you want one!

Surro Files - 38 Weeks & Belle is Here!!!

The Bun

This week the baby is about the size of a pumpkin (19.75 inches) and 6.8 pounds.  Although the baby is full term with fully functioning organs, their brain and nervous system will continue to develop well into childhood and their teen years.

The Oven

Big, Big, Big!!!!  Haha!  That's my usual update isn't it?  Not only is my tummy big, but my feet are too.  Darn swelling!  The only time I've had swelling before was with Riley, and that was just the last week of pregnancy.  It doesn't hurt, but it does feel weird walking when your ankles have rolls and your toes are all smooshed together.

My super swollen feet.  So sexy!  Ankle bones are over rated.

The Happenings In the Kitchen

Belle is here!!!!!  Not without a few plane troubles as usual, but she's finally here.  I feel bad that traveling to California gives her bad luck every time.  This time her flight was cancelled, but luckily she was able to catch another one later that night, just in time for our doctor appointment the next day.

After only sleeping about 3 hours, Belle was at our house bright and early to help me load up all the baby stuff that she had shipped to my house.  It was like Christmas morning with lots of gifts piled high in my trunk, ready for her to unpack and get ready for the big day.  That would all have to wait though.  First, we had a date to see her little munchkin on ultrasound at our OB appt.  My girls came with us to the appointment.  They were pretty excited to go see what this little baby is looking like these days.  They finally called us back to do the ultrasound, but it was awhile before they would show us actual baby pictures.  First up was measuring the baby and amniotic fluid.  Well, turns out I have a lot of fluid and a fairly normal size baby at around (8 pounds right now).  Not too bad.  Linc was 8lbs 4oz when he was born.  Let's hope baby doesn't grow too much more, but in most cases these measurements are overestimated anyways.  Finally they got to the good stuff!  Hello baby!!!!  Well, it looks like Belle and Adam are expecting the cutest baby ever with the biggest cheeks that you ever did see!  Seriously cute!!!!  I just want to pinch them... softly of course.  Haha!  We got some great 3D pictures, but unfortunately the video didn't come out as great this time.  Boo!  Belle was in love with all the cute pictures and we just can't wait for the big day to get here.  After the ultrasound we had our OB appointment.  They weren't going to check dilation, but I asked them to.  So after all the checks here's what we're looking at...  I'm 151 pounds (gah!  passed that magic number I didn't want to pass), good blood pressure, and no protein in urine.  Baby's heartbeat was in the 120's - 130's, and my belly is measuring about 2 - 3 weeks ahead still, but it always is.  So as far as improvement... I'm now 3-4cm dilated and super soft!!!!!  Yep!  We're getting closer.  I'll be halfway done by the time we get into labor.  I'm still thick and baby is still fairly high, but those things could change in a flash.  We're still waiting on Group B Strep test results too.  Hope I'm negative. (Update: I'm negative.  Yay!)  I'm also swelling a bit in my feet.  They don't look like crazy big, but if you press in on them, the dent stays there for quite a long time.  Oh well, not much longer!!!  Overall a great appointment!  Belle couldn't be happier.  She's going to have a baby soon!!!

Well the next day my doctor's office called me.  They reviewed the ultrasound and there were some concerns.  I didn't get to talk with the doctor, but from what I gather, they are concerned about how much amniotic fluid I have.  My amniotic level is 25, and that puts me into the category of having Polyhydramnios.  I have a lot of the symptoms... shortness of breath, swelling of lower extremities (especially my feet and vulva), and a large tummy of course.  That being said, they're ordering 2 ultrasounds a week to measure the fluid levels and at the same time we'll be doing nonstress tests on the baby to see how they are doing (basically just monitoring their heartbeat for 20 min).  Our first one is today actually.  I'll jump back on here and update before I post this.  In most cases Polyhydramnios is pretty mild and doesn't cause problems, so I'm not too concerned, but at the same time I want the best for Belle and Adam's baby.  Hoping all keeps going well and we see this little angel very soon.

Well, I'm back from our first NST & Ultrasound to measure the amniotic fluid.  Looks like my fluid level went up again.  We're now at a 30.  Boo!  The nurse midwife said everything looks ok, but if my water breaks it'll be a disaster flood zone.  Just thought I'd warn anyone that might be hanging out around me for the next two weeks.  Maybe I should wear a sign that says "Flood Zone".  Seems like a good idea to me.  After the ultrasound we did the Nonstress Test (NST).  I basically just sat in a cushy recliner while they hooked me up to a heart rate monitor and a contraction monitor (just like when in the hospital).  Belle, her friend, and Linc were with me, so we got to listen to baby for a good 45 min before they finally unhooked me.  Wednesday we'll get to do it all over again. 

Linc and I at the NST

The Chefs

Belle is here!!!!!  She's been working on getting everything set up for the big day.  Lots of shopping, shopping, shopping.  Her best friend is here too, so I'm sure they're having lots of fun waiting for the big day.  Adam will be here Wednesday, then it's on!  We're officially on the lookout for the big day to come.

Coming Soon !!!

June 30th - Monitoring Appt. - NST & Ultrasound to measure amniotic fluid.
July 2nd - 38 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit plus an NST
July 2nd - Adam Gets Here - Adam gets here to wait it out for the big day.  We're all ready to go!
July 7th - Monitoring Appt. - NST & Ultrasound to measure amniotic fluid.
July 12th - 40 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.  We will NOT make it to this appointment!  Haha!
July 13th - DUE DATE!!!!

Don't forget to check out my "Surrogacy" tab at the top of this page to catch up on any posts you might have missed

*Some of the names in this post have been changed and faces blocked out to protect the identities of those involved in this journey*

Surro Files - 37 Weeks And Dilated!

The Bun

Baby is now about the size of swiss chard (19.25 inches) and 6.3 pounds.  For those of you who think that swiss chard is a type of cheese, you are not alone.  I looked for swiss chard in the cheese isle for days, before I Googled it and realized it was a vegetable.  Haha!  Silly me.  This week baby is now considered full term!!!  That means all of the baby's organs should be fully developed and prepared for the outside world.

Baby is the size of swiss chard.  Haha!  Ok, maybe not this big.

The Oven

The oven is trying to hang on.  Only 3 more weeks... Or less!!!  I've changed my sleeping arrangement once again.  I still can't sleep on my side.  Believe me, I've tried.  I want to soooooooo bad, and so I have caved in a few times and just said, the pain I'd have the next day would be worth it.  Well, the last time I tried, the pain was so not worth it.  I was in pain the whole day, vs just the first 10 min of the day like usual.  So no more side sleeping for me.  Sitting up wasn't working well either though.  I'd stay up for hours sometimes just trying to get some sleep.  Well, now I do reclined back sleeping.  I basically prop my biggest pillows behind me and recline back so my blood flow is still good, but I'm not sitting all the way up.  It's not too bad.  I still want to roll over on my side, but I really try not to.  As little as 10 min on my side puts me in pain for awhile.  Boo!

My poor little feet are also swollen.  It used to just be when I went on long trips, but ever since my last trip, they just haven't went back down.  I wouldn't say they're marshmallow feet by any means, but for me they're pretty big.

Lastly, this little cutie is riding pretty darn low now.  They're always sitting on my bladder if not punching it at the same time.  Good times.  Haha!  I'm still in good spirits most of the time though.  I'm ready for the end, but I can last a few more weeks if I have to.

The Happenings In the Kitchen

This week we had our 36 week OB appointment.  I was so excited for this appointment because I knew that they would most likely check to see if I was dilated or not.  I know that it doesn't mean much.  After all, a woman that's not dilated at all could go into labor tomorrow and another woman dilated to 3cm could still be pregnant 3 weeks later.  Even so, I like to know that my body is doing something and it's gearing up to birth this baby.  First up was the weight check.  I'm now 147 (my normal weight is about 105 give or take a few pounds).  I then peed in my little cup, took my blood pressure, and waited for the nurse midwife.  When she got there we did the Group B Strep test (not fun).  It's basically checks to see if you have a certain bacteria in your vagina or rectum area that could cause an infection with bad side effects for the baby if it's born vaginally.  I've never had it before and fingers crossed I don't have it now.  After the test swab, she checked dilation, station, effacement, and all that other good stuff.  Well, looks like I'm dilated 2-3 centimeters and very soft!!!!  Baby is still high though (-3 or -2) and my cervix is still thick.  At first I was pretty darn excited about all the progress, but then I realized that I was dilated this much with my second two children, so I could still go the full 40 weeks.  She also checked the baby's heartbeat which is in the 130's as usual and I'm still measuring 2-1/2 - 3 weeks ahead.

The Chefs

Sorry, no update from Belle this week.  I'm sure she's going crazy trying to get ready to come out here.  She flies out tomorrow!!!!!  She'll be staying over in San Francisco for a night though, so she won't be here till Wednesday.  I can only imagine what's going through hers and Adam's minds right now.  I know they're still trying to sell the house, so that's a lot to take on.  Their dog hurt his leg, so they've been dealing with that all week.  Legal work for the pre-birth order still isn't done, so we've been trying to work out some of those kinks.  Then after finding out I was dilated already, we were all sent in a tizzy hoping that baby would stay in till the parents got here.  Looks like Adam will actually be coming out sooner than shown below, but I kept the date the same till we find out.  Belle's friend was also supposed to come out with her for the first week, but she ruptured her eardrum, so that's not going to happen.  Luckily her other best friend is going to be able to come out, so they can be excited together getting things ready for baby.  So crazy!!!  I might only have one more update before this baby is born. 

Coming Soon !!!

June 25th - Belle Gets Here - Belle gets here to wait it out for the big day.  Lots of stuff to do!
June 26th - 37 week OB Appt. - Growth Ultrasound & OB Visit.
July 2nd - 38 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.
July 2nd - Adam Gets Here - Adam gets here to wait it out for the big day.  We're all ready to go!
July 12th - 40 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.  We will NOT make it to this appointment!  Haha!
July 13th - DUE DATE!!!!

Don't forget to check out my "Surrogacy" tab at the top of this page to catch up on any posts you might have missed

*Some of the names in this post have been changed and faces blocked out to protect the identities of those involved in this journey*

Surro Files - 36 Weeks for Father's Day

The Bun

This week the baby is about the size of a honeydew melon (18.75 inches) and 5.75 pounds.  The baby is still gaining weight and becoming rounder in appearance.  By the end of this week the baby will be considered full term!!!  The presentation of the baby is most likely head down (at least it was at our last doctor visit).  For babies that are not, your practitioner may recommend an external cephalic version, a technique to manually manipulate the baby into the head-down position (ouch!!!).

Photo by Belle & Adam

The Oven

Last week I let you know that my oven is breaking down.  Sleeping has become quite the challenge.  I would wake up each morning not able to walk because my pelvic bone had shifted out of place way too much.  Well this week I came up with a new way of sleeping.  With the help of 7 different pillows, I now sleep sitting up.  I find it kind of hard to stay in this position the whole night, but the nights that I have been able to, I have woke up feeling GREAT!!!!  No pain at all.  Last night I made the mistake of sleeping laying down again and OMG!  That was no good at all.  Back to my sitting up position tonight.

The Happenings In the Kitchen

Compared to most weeks, this week has been a pretty calm week.  Well, calm for us at least.  Haha!

First off, I wanted to show you my crazy sleeping nest that I talked about above.  I've got two pillows behind me to prop me up.  I've got my big noodle pillow which I form into a seat.  I have a small pillow behind my lower back.  I have one long pillow for me to wrap my legs around.  And then I have two big pillows to lay around me as needed or hug until I feel comfortable.  Brian likes to make fun of my millions of pillows, but it works, so what are you going to do?

My New Sleeping Nest

Most of the week I've been working on starting up my new doula business.  For those that don't know, a doula is a birth support person that helps a woman physically and emotionally during labor, delivery, and her first hours postpartum.  A doula also helps to answer any questions about pregnancy, labor, birth, breastfeeding, and newborns, to the best of her ability.  I'm really excited about this new journey and much of my time has been spent this week selecting a business name (Done!), designing a logo (Almost Done!), and working on my website (Under Construction...).  I can't wait to show you all the work I've been doing.  My goal is to have the website up and running by the 1st of July.

I also got a massage this week.  Oh so nice!!!!!!  Ok, I did have a little trouble since like I said above, my body doesn't like laying on its side anymore.  I'm sure the masseuse thought I was pretty crazy when it took me forever to roll over and forever to get off that table and dressed afterwards.  The massage itself was great though!!!!  I scheduled one more before this baby gets here.

This weekend was Father's Day!!!!!  Our girls were camping in Pismo with my in-laws this week, so Brian, Lincoln, and I all drove over to Pismo so we could have a nice Father's Day dinner.  The kids were all so excited to give Daddy their gifts.  Lincoln painted Brian a little frame that says I Love You Daddy.  I did the writing, but he did all the painting himself.  Both Reagan and Riley made their gifts at Color Me Mine.  Riley painted Brian a football chip and dip tray in the 49'ers colors, and Reagan painted a baseball mug in the Giants colors.  I got Brian a 49'ers mug and a Giant's mug (no I didn't paint mine).  I think he liked them all.  Father's Day success!!!!  We then took the girls home and left Linc so he could go camping for awhile.  When we got home the girls, Brian, and I all hit up the race track.  This was Brian and Reagan's first time racing, but Riley's already a pro.  Poor Brian and Reagan came in last, but Riley did pretty good.  No racing for me.  Boo!  Next time I guess.

Brian and the girls at the Racetrack for  Father's Day.

The Chefs (an update from Belle)

No update from Belle this week.  She's been busy busy busy getting ready for the trip out this way, plus her poor doggy just hurt his legs today and can't walk, so she's keeping him company right now.  I will say that I've gotten tons of shipments in the mail for Belle, Adam, and their baby though.  It's going to be like Christmas when they get here and get to open them all.  They will be all set for when baby gets here!  Oh, and I got an awesome gift from Belle this week!  It's a super cute canvas bag that says Doula on it.  I love it!!!!  It'll be perfect to carry around to each appointment or delivery.  Thanks!!!!

Coming Soon !!!

June 19th - 36 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.
June 24th - Belle Gets Here - Belle gets here to wait it out for the big day.  Lots of stuff to do!
June 26th - 37 week OB Appt. - Growth Ultrasound & OB Visit.
July 2nd - 38 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.
July 2nd - Adam Gets Here - Adam gets here to wait it out for the big day.  We're all ready to go!
July 12th - 40 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.  We will NOT make it to this appointment!  Haha!
July 13th - DUE DATE!!!!

Don't forget to check out my "Surrogacy" tab at the top of this page to catch up on any posts you might have missed

*Some of the names in this post have been changed and faces blocked out to protect the identities of those involved in this journey*

Surro Files - 35 Weeks At My Sister's Baby Shower

The Bun
Baby is about the size of a coconut (18 inches) and 5.25 pounds.  At this point all of the baby's major organs should be nearly complete.  Baby's kidneys are completely developed and the liver is functional and capable of processing waste products.

The Oven

Growing....  Growing.... Growing....  Haha!  Doing well with the baby oven till this weekend.  This weekend by pelvic pain kicked it up a notch.  I'm not sure what happened.  I could barely sleep with the pain and to say I had difficulty getting out of bed and walking to the restroom in the morning would be an understatement.  Let's just hope this change is temporary.  Maybe I slept wrong?  Not sure, but it's totally not cool.  At least we're in the home stretch, so if the feeling is here to stay then we only have a month to go anyways.  I can tough it out that long.  I might just need to stretch it out a bit more.  We'll see if that works.

The Happenings In the Kitchen

This week was my daughters' last week of school.  Lots of busy busy fun as they got ready for summer.  Movie days, Olympic Day, Party Days, and the Talent Show.  The Talent Show was the best part of all.  My girls performed the song "Let It Go" from Frozen, with their friend.  They did great!!!  I was so proud of them for getting up in front of the whole school to sing and they were proud of themselves.  I also got them all set up for summer school.  Looks like they'll be taking Ballet, Book Writing, & Edible Art.  Sounds like lots of fun to me.  Hope they like it!

As for me... I had another OB appointment on Thursday.  I gained 3 pounds in 2 weeks which was not awesome, but not horribly bad.  At least the nurse didn't say it was bad.  Most importantly, baby is doing great.  Heartbeat was in the 130's - 140's as usual and belly was measuring about 2-3 weeks ahead.  Because I'm still measuring ahead, it looks like we're going to do another growth ultrasound to make sure baby isn't too big.  The nurse did feel the head and thought it felt pretty small so she's not worried we have a big baby on our hands, but we're going to check just to make sure.  Yay for another peek at baby, and Belle will be here for that visit!!!!  Perfect timing!!!

This weekend I made my last trip out of town.  I drove 6 hours down to Southern California for my sister's baby shower.  I still can't believe she's due only a week after Belle's baby and I can't wait to see my new baby nephew!  She had a Lil' Mister Baby Shower, complete with lots of mustaches to go around.  I didn't throw the actual party because it would have been just too hard being as far along as I am, but I did help out with a few things.  I created a photo booth with lots of little props for guests to take pictures with, I made a baby shower sign, and I took pictures for the event.  It was lots of fun and everyone had a great time!!!  I still can't believe that the next time I see my sister she will either be in labor, or have a baby (depending on if I make it there in time for the birth or not).

The Chefs (an update from Belle)

"This week was full of more fun baby stuff! We got the: car seat, crib, stroller, bottles, diaper bag, and many more little items all shipped out! We also got another gift sent out to Chana- hopefully it arrives and comes in handy. This week, I was also able to change my flight, and will now be arriving a day earlier. The time cant come soon enough, I'm getting very anxious waiting around here!!!" - Belle

Coming Soon !!!

June 19th - 36 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.
June 24th - Belle Gets Here - Belle gets here to wait it out for the big day.  Lots of stuff to do!
June 26th - 37 week OB Appt. - Growth Ultrasound & OB Visit.
July 2nd - 38 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.
July 2nd - Adam Gets Here - Adam gets here to wait it out for the big day.  We're all ready to go!
July 12th - 40 week OB Appt. - Just a routine visit.  We will NOT make it to this appointment!  Haha!
July 13th - DUE DATE!!!!

Don't forget to check out my "Surrogacy" tab at the top of this page to catch up on any posts you might have missed

*Some of the names in this post have been changed and faces blocked out to protect the identities of those involved in this journey*

Mickey & Minnie Mouse Book Baby Shower

Ok, it's been almost a month since the baby shower and I'm finally getting around to doing a formal post about it.  I'm sure most of you know that I'm a surrogate, carrying a baby for a wonderful couple that has been wanting a baby for so long.  Well the big day is almost here and to celebrate I decided to throw the mommy to be a baby shower.  Since she knows the sex of the baby, but the daddy does not, I decided to make the party gender neutral with both Mickey and Minnie instead of just one or the other.  It actually worked out great that way and I love the way it all came together.  I also decided to make it a book shower, where guests brought books instead of cards to help get the baby's library started early on.  Check out below to see how it all came out.

Baby Shower Sign - First I printed out the letters using a free "Walter" font and cut them into triangles.  Then I cut out red construction paper triangles slightly larger than the letter triangles.  Then I cut out newspaper triangles slightly larger than the red triangles.  Then I pasted them all together with the letters on top, the red in the middle, and the newspaper in the back.  I then punched holes in the top two corners so I could string all the letters together on black yarn.  I also added a red construction paper Mickey face in the middle.
Tissue Paper Pinwheels - I used white, red, black, and polka dot tissue paper, as well as newspaper, to make my pinwheels.  You can make your own using this Pinwheel Tutorial from Whimsical Wonderland Weddings.
Mickey & Minnie Mouse Ears - All guests got their own Mickey or Minnie ears to wear during the party.  They were easy to make and I scored by finding a 4th of July pack of headbands at the Dollar Store!  Perfect colors and very inexpensive.  You can make your own using this Mickey & Minnie Headband Tutorial from Becoming Martha.
Book Table Decorations - I gathered up all the books in our house and made book covers for them using white, red, and polka dot wrapping paper.  Here is a Bookcover Tutorial from Paper Source if you would like to make your own.
Signage - I printed out various signage like the Mommy To Be sign above, using the Free Mickey & Minnie Printables from Catch My Party.  Some I added my own text to, so I just made the changes in Microsoft Paint before printing them.

Party Favors - I included a bottle of red nail polish, a nail file, a custom made bookmark, and a Mickey or Minnie Mouse Oreo cookie pop in each favor box.  I got the boxes from the Dollar Store and printed out the labels using the free printable I mentioned above.  I also added a square of red tissue.  Voila!
Mickey & Minnie Oreo Pops - Yum!  I made these using double stuffed Oreos and mini Oreos.  I dipped them in melted white chocolate then dipped them in red sprinkles.  I added the white buttons and red bows using cookie decorator icing, and stuck a cake pop stick up the center.  To make your own, you can also use this Mickey Mouse Pop Tutorial from Vegetarian Gastronomy.
Custom Bookmarks - Using one of the free printables (link above) I created bookmarks with each of the guests names and a Disney quote on them.  I just made the changes in Microsoft Paint.  I then had them laminated, cut them out, hole punched at the top, and added a pom pom tassel to the end.  You can use this Pom Pom Tutorial from Eskimimi Makes to make your own.
Fabric Wrapped Pillows - I wanted some pillow decorations easy and fast, so I just bought some fabric, wrapped it around my pillows like a present, and tied them in the corners with ribbon to stay.  I also added safety pins on the back to keep them in place.  Mickey and Minnie were made with felt and glued on.  Here's another Easy No Sew Pillow Cover tutorial from Organize and Decorate Everything.
How Many Gumballs? - One of the games we played was to guess how many gumballs are in the bowl.  I found red and white gumballs to match the party.

Food - For the party I wanted bright colors with lots of red to go with the Mickey/Minnie Mouse theme.  I served strawberry, pecan, avocado, and blue cheese salad, a mixed fruit salad, a mini sandwich bar, chips, and veggies.  For beverages I served strawberry lemonade in mason jars with red swirly straws (not pictured).
Who Has The Sticker? - Another easy fun game we did was to see who had the Mickey Mouse sticker under their plate.  Before the party I stuck a sticker under one of the dinner plates on the table.  Whoever had the sticker under their plate won the prize, only guests didn't know this until they were already eating.  

Desserts - For desserts I went for a red, black, and white theme.  I served cherry jello with whip cream and chocolate chips on top, berry cobbler, and Mickey Mouse cupcakes.  The cupcakes were super easy.  I just used chocolate cake with white icing, then added mini oreos on top for ears.  If you wanted, you could also add bows with icing or fruit by the foot so some of them are Minnie cupcakes, but I ran out of time.  I also found the cupcake shells at Michaels.  I love the cute polka dots!  Check out this post from The Hunted Interior to see an example of the Minnie Mouse cupcakes.  

ABC Book - Our main activity for the party was to make an ABC book for the mommy to be and her baby.  I bought a red scrapbook and decorated the front with felt and white puff paint.  Each guest was given a scrapbook page with all the pieces needed to assemble their page (pre-printed letter, square to draw picture, and rectangle to write word).  Guests would cut out their letter, draw their picture starting with the letter, and write what their picture was.  They also wrote their name so that mommy and baby would know who created that page.  It all came out really cute!!!!  My only regret was that I didn't pre-prepare the pages more.  We ran out of time with all the cutting and pasting.  If I were to do it again, I would have cut out and pasted everything on the page myself and just had them do the drawing and writing.

Mommy, Baby, and I

Minnie Mouse Shirt - I got my Minnie Mouse Shirt on Ebay and paired it with a pair of white maternity pants that I got from Target.