Home / Sections / Arts/Tech - News Features & Personalities / How I (Not) Planned Our Baby Shower by Lou Maningas Cabalona (Continued from Page 35)

How I (Not) Planned Our Baby Shower by Lou Maningas Cabalona (Continued from Page 35)

Lou-Maningas-Cabalona

By: Lou Maningas Cabalona

 

It was set for April 29.

Perfect because it was Baron’s birthday. It also was the scheduled 2nd quarterly mass for 2018 of the St. Joan of Arc Parish Filipino Choir which both Baron and I are a part of.

It was just the perfect timing for a baby shower at 36 weeks pregnant since online resources advice showers should be held between 4 to 6 weeks before the baby’s due date — late enough so that the pregnancy is well along, but early enough so that the baby is unlikely to arrive before the party day does.

Because it was a Sunday and a few hours after the 1130am mass, I imagined a high tea party with Filipino hors d’oeuvres with everyone dressed in white.

The venue tied in perfectly too. It was an elegant hall with a rustic chic vibe. It had high ceilings and large windows that would make the afternoon sky our backdrop. And yes, the venue Kitchen Chicago was available!

We decided the color motif should be turquoise, teal and orange – the “baby-ish” versions of our 2014 Boracay wedding colors. Just for the shower, we committed to dig up our treasured custom-made candle holders and table runners from our wedding memorabilia boxes we kept in storage.

Baron wanted to know the baby’s gender ASAP. I wanted to find out at the same time as everyone so it worked out with him planning the “reveal”.

It was set and we had a lot of time to prepare so I knew for sure we could throw a beautiful party that was well planned, perfectly coordinated yet very personal.

I love planning events and this was going to be the best baby shower — and gender reveal — and birthday party I and our guests have ever seen!

Over the next months, we started hunting for the best dinnerware, cutlery, napkins, centerpiece, and party decor. What we didn’t find, I handmade and designed. If we didn’t find it in our color, Baron would spray paint it over in turquoise or orange. We didn’t want to settle for the regular big caterer continental menus nor the Filipino store party trays, so we worked with a chef who could create Filipino inspired appetizers specially for the event.

Since we had a European vacation scheduled in January, I arranged for a maternity and family photoshoot in picturesque Rome. It was a precious keepsake of our trip for the family, plus we could also use the photos to personalize our invitation and thank you cards.

I planned on making a personalized “guess the baby’s gender” photobooth and a slideshow of our pregnancy journey.

It seemed everything was in place.

As a matter of fact, not only did I timeline the program of activities, I wrote the full script for the emcees!

But life, as we know, follows no written scripts.

I went for a routine third trimester ultrasound on Friday the 13th of April and was told that because of symptoms of preeclampsia, I needed to stay at the hospital until I was induced to labor once I hit 37 weeks on April 30.

I was in good care at the hospital so I wasn’t worried but I couldn’t make our own party! We quickly decided that it was best to push through with the shower and somehow harness the power of Facebook Live to ensure I was an active part of it. Best to not let anyone but family know of my situation so as not to worry or confuse our friends. Honestly, I was more worried how Baron needed to take over setting up everything and entertaining all guests by himself!

Then, a few days later, things took another turn. Doctors at the Illinois Masonic decided it was best for both baby and myself for me to be induced into labor that very same day.

So, after a record 30-minute labor (or less), our son, Reign Malaya was born on the afternoon of April 17, 2018.

He is the biggest blessing our little family has received and his early arrival has become a blessing in disguise for us in many ways.

For one, although in the end, we probably checked off only about 80 percent of the things we planned on doing (I was shooting for 100%!) and nearly everything in the program became impromptu, the most important thing is, I was able to make our baby shower -slash- gender reveal -slash- Baron’s birthday celebration which also happily became a surprise birth announcement eagerly received by our friends and guests!

One of our friends, April Garcia’s facebook post sums it all up perfectly. “A baby shower/gender reveal party…turned into a birth announcement {surprised emoticon}. An amazing celebration that was full of surprises, great music, delicious food, creative DIY touches, and most of all…LOVE! Congrats to the happy family: Lou, Baron, and Baby Mahal. Also, happy birthday Baron!”

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

I have only technically been a mom for about four weeks now. And, living life with a newborn coupled with undergoing months of “different” experiences and constant changes in my body carrying a little person inside, and now, most of all, feeling an enormous love I have for my child I am willing to sacrifice everything, I can personally say there is no bigger sacrifice and blessing in the world than becoming a mother.

May the love you freely give to others, comeback to you tenfold on this day and every day!To purchase tickets or for more info about Spring Jam and other activities slated this year, call Baron at 312- 593-5154, Patty at 708-609-9844 and Rudy at 630-701-4007 or check out, www.facebook.com/filipinomusiciansofchicago.

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The couples musician/singer friends and members of Filipino Musicians of Chicago, Inc

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It’s a Boy! Orlando Cabalona Jr fires the gender reveal cannon as the happy parents, Louella and Baron and godparents and guests look on in anticipation.

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The Cabalona extended family – (clockwise from top left) Mike Sarosario, Orlando Cabalona, Roderick and Mimi Jao, Edric Arana carrying Aiden, Louella and Baron Cabalona, Chica Arana, Dahlia Sarosario, EJ Arana and Genia Cabalona.

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The Godparents (part I) – Orlando Cabalona Jr., Joanne Ventrella, Ariel Tolentino, Chica Arana, Lee Maningas

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The Godparents (part II) – Lee Maningas, Ronnie Ruivivar, Barry San, Regina Salamanca, Ellen Delarosa Hamblet, Ran Sevilla (not in picture).

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Louella (center) with some of their wedding sponsors and entourage – James DC, Girlie Pascual, Veronica Leighton,
Alice Arellano, Flor and Don Kramer, Lolit and Ed Ranchero.

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The “Friday” group of musicians and friends with St. Joan of Arc Filipino Choir members

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Baron’s co-workers at Fairmont Care Center

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Rogel Arceo and Ako Palmeri shows off their winning “Design Baby Mahal’s Onesie” and their prize

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Singer and Emcee for the day, April Garcia displays one of the centerpieces along with Patty Lou Soliman, lead singer of Groove Time

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Louella’s co-workers at Sears Holdings Corp and their families

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SamaSama Project with Louella, Ran Sevilla, John Kniker (partially seen), EJ Luna, Giga Yanong and Baron (partially seen) performs a song for the guests while a couple dances

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The boys hold up the entries for the “Design Baby Mahal’s Onesie”

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Contestants of the “Eggplant and Egg Relay” getting ready to win the race – Beverly Thomas, Mike Sarosario, Merlac Fertig, Debbie Gleason, James DC, Heather Aguilar, and Ruben Pactol

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