A (extended) family affair

I have to confess. Being on the receiving side of baby shower gifts is fantastic! Surely every mom-to-be loves opening all those cute presents, seeing those small outfits and being in awe that this little person is about to enter your life. Those presents remind you about the joys of motherhood (rather than the fact that your life is about to spin out of control!). Lucky me already had a baby shower (see here), so what a precious moment to have another one when my Capetonian friends and family bestowed me and my little girl with their blessings and good wishes.

On a breezy Saturday afternoon, we all went to the Alphen Boutique Hotel in the Constantia Valley for a high tea at their La Belle Café and Bakery. The small bistro serves pastries and savoury snacks under big ancient oak trees. The wonderful atmosphere and the great snacks will certainly linger on in my memories, but the day was made special by something else.

I come from a very small family. Both my parents have only one sibling. Both my aunts attended the baby shower, one driving all the way from Ceres. My cousin came all the way from Malmesbury. My parents made sure to be in town (they live in Britstown in the middle of the Karoo) and my parents-in-law came from the West-Coast. Add to that my almost-90 year old granny and my sister and you find almost all my female family members around that table! My father, father-in-law, Daniel and his little playmate made up the male contingent of the party.

My husband loves to use the saying that one often forgets what people said to you, but you will never forget how they made you feel. Well, to sit at the table, eating yet another chocolate brownie, and to see them all there, filled me with such thankfulness to be part of the family into which I was born. I am blessed.

Image credits: Thanks to Madre Steenkamp for taking most of these photos