Blue Star Families, together with Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting and founder of What to Expect Project, are hosting What to Expect: A Blue Star Baby Shower, a special event for 120 new and expecting military parents.

Joint Base Lewis-McChord I Corps Commander's wife Jae Rin Park and other senior military spouse leaders will attend as special guests at the event to support the new parents. There will be baby shower games, a special Q&A with Murkoff and attendees will be able to receive information and resources from numerous community partners such as the Children's Museum of JBLM, Madigan Labor & Delivery and New Parent Support, WIC, Military OneSource and many more.

There will be tons of giveaways, like a family membership to the Hands On Children's Museum, a spa treatment at Silver Cloud Tacoma, and babymoon hotel stays at boutique waterfront hotels, as well as a secret special appearance from the Seattle Seahawks mascot, Blitz, and Seahawks Dancers to show support and hand out goodies. Each attendee will receive a swag bag and a signed copy of Murkoff's book.

"Being pregnant and becoming a new mom is hard under the best of circumstances. For military moms, serving for two, far from their families, friends, and network of support, it becomes exponentially harder. Especially if their partner is deployed or TDY. That's why the WTEP and I have spent the last 11 years bringing military moms together for What to Expect baby showers - not only to celebrate them and let them know how much we appreciate their service and sacrifice, but to give them the opportunity to connect with each other and with local resources, and to find their community. I can't imagine a better partner to join forces with to support military moms than Blue Star Families - and I can't wait to return to JBLM to shower moms here with love and hugs," said Heidi Murkoff, author and creator of the What to Expect Project.

Since 2013, Murkoff has celebrated and supported expectant military moms serving far from family and friends, hosting over 300 baby showers - complete with lunch, games, gifts, a Q&A and lots of hugs - for more than 25,000 military moms, both active duty and spouses, around the world, from Germany to Japan, Korea to Guam, Texas to Kansas, Alaska to North Carolina.

The registration event is at the American Lake Conference Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, from 11 a.m.  to 2 p.m.

"We are excited for this partnership and special event to shower our military-connected parents with resources and support in our community," said Sonia Garza, Executive Director of Blue Star Families Puget Sound Chapter. "Creating a fun and supportive environment for military new and expectant parents is part of our Blue Star Families ethos to create a sense of belonging to our community as a whole!"

Registration ends Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024.

Register for the Blue Star Baby Shower HERE!