Tonya Harding vs. Nancy Kerrigan

Team Romania Gymnastics vs. Team US Gymnastics

Pink vs. Blue

What do these all have in common??  All famous Olympic rivalries (well, kind of)

Our time in London is winding down, but we’re not ready for the Closing Ceremonies without a look at one of the newest and most popular sports in Mommy McBlog Olympics, 400 M Gender Reveal Party Throwing.

It may not be safe for pregnant women to throw a shotput or a javelin, but it is safe for pregnant women to throw a party!

So for those of you like Denny and I that couldn’t wait until he or she arrived, a gender reveal party was the best way to make our baby’s gender a fun announcement to friends and family, while still reaping the benefits of being able to decorate the room accordingly.   Here are some pictures of our gender reveal party in May from our personal blog.   We did not break as many world records as the Jamaicans did in London, but here are a few tips I followed to make our way to the Pink and Blue medal podium.

The official It’s A Box!! Inside was the juicy secret the world (aka 20 close friends and family members) was waiting to hear.

• Coach Pinterest  —  Just like an athlete needs a coach, a  Gender Reveal Party Thrower needs Pinterest!  The Website is an AMAZING source of ideas to make the party special and personalized.  Whether you announce the secret by baking cupcakes with pink or blue insides, or whether you announce it by opening a box of balloons, there are a ton of photos to get your creative juices flowing.  Here are a few of some of my favorite pictures from Pinterest that inspired me.

Such a great idea and an adorable couple!

A great way to involve your guests

A nice way to show how much the baby has grown so far!

• Involve your fans  —  What’s an Olympic sport without an arena (or house) full of screaming fans?  It’s the Olympics afterall, so be sure to ask your guests to dress in pink or blue based on their guess!   The excitement will make the reveal that much more fun.

• Use social media for friends that can’t attend the party — NBC was busy during the weekend of our reveal, but we announced the results on Facebook right after we found out at the party!   Don’t forget about Skype and Twitter to spread the word, too!

• Don’t Peek ahead of time  — Just as Olympians don’t know the outcome of the events before they begin, Denny and I wanted to be equally surprised as our guests at the party.   To accomplish this, we had the sonogram tech seal the envelope at our appointment and then we gave it directly to the florist so she could fill our reveal box with the correct color balloons. I’m so glad we waited to find out the long-awaited pink or blue secret!

The Moment of Truth… Team PINK!

So there you have it, tips for a Gold Medal Gender Reveal Party!  Whether you take a spot on the Pink Medal Stand or the Blue Medal Stand, it will be one of the best surprises of your life!!