My friend is 30 weeks pregnant with a little girl. Only about two weeks ago she lost the father of her baby to a motorcycle accident. Her baby shower is on 10/11 and I'm looking for a very special way to honor his life. I would like to hand make or pay for something special for her child. Something that she can keep forever to remember her father by. I am having trouble with ideas. Please let me know if you have any ideas on what I can do for my friend and her daughter. Thank you
I know one woman that when her son was born she used all of her husband's old flannel work shirts and made a quilt. Maybe something like that would work? Then there's a part of him there keeping baby girl safe and warm.
I think that this is a sweet idea, but there is also the possibility that she won't be ready for such an emotional or raw gift, especially while she is already in public and on display at the shower. Something so personal might be best gifted in private when she wont have to keep up appearances or pull herself together for show. She is lucky to have such a thoughtful and kind friend as you are.
I think @spottedginger makes an excellent point. If it were my friend, I would still do the personalized gift like the quilt, which sounds so sweet, and give it to her privately afterwards. but I would definitely also get her something else from her registry that she can open at the shower!
You are a very sweet and caring friend! I agree with the PP that giving it to her alone, maybe after the shower would be best. My thoughts and prayers are with your friend, what a terrible tragedy.
I'm so sorry for your friend's loss - such a tragedy and so awful. My thoughts are with her. I also love the quilt idea and giving it to her in private. Some other things you can do, is help her plant a tree in her yard in her husband's name that her and her baby can visit, help grow. Or have something custom created with maybe her husband's favorite song or favorite lyric or favorite something, that can be something for the baby to wear like a bracelet if it's a girl or a tag necklace if it's a boy. There's also the option of creating a custom baby book where you include photos of her husband with a fact about him that her little baby can use and read. Again I'm so sorry, it's heartbreaking.
I like the quilt idea and gifting in private as PP have suggested. I, personally, would refrain from the tree idea. You don't know if they will always live at same home and a subsequent resident could remove the tree as it doesn't have the same sentiment to them. My husband isn't devastated, but that happened to him. He and his dad planted a tree at dad's house after grandpa died (when husband was a kid). When we drive by the old house, he sometimes mentions the tree that has since been removed.
So sorry for your friend's loss, I cannot imagine how difficult this all is for her. I agree it may be a little too early to give such a gift. That being said, if you are not a very talented sewer and can't make a quilt, I have another suggestion. After my dad passed, I took a lot of his Harley shirts and made them into pillows shaped like a tshirt. That way, they could still bring us comfort. They're shaped like the image below and are super easy to sew together. I also want to say I think you're being an outstanding friend for thinking of this.
I love the quilt idea. Also, if you can get a hold of any pictures of the two of them while she was pregnant, like a good pic of him smiling down at her belly, or touching it, or just doing something that acknowledges how excited he was for baby to come it would be nice to have it professionally blown up and framed. Even if it's grainy it'll be a family photo that she will likely want to have.
I love the quilt idea. Also, if you can get a hold of any pictures of the two of them while she was pregnant, like a good pic of him smiling down at her belly, or touching it, or just doing something that acknowledges how excited he was for baby to come it would be nice to have it professionally blown up and framed. Even if it's grainy it'll be a family photo that she will likely want to have.
I bet you could use transfers and include pictures in a quilt as well.
You've got some great ideas going here! I love the quilt idea but have to add, make sure it's okay by your friend to cut and sew his shirts, she might not be ready to let go of them yet!
Re: Please help me!
I, personally, would refrain from the tree idea. You don't know if they will always live at same home and a subsequent resident could remove the tree as it doesn't have the same sentiment to them. My husband isn't devastated, but that happened to him. He and his dad planted a tree at dad's house after grandpa died (when husband was a kid). When we drive by the old house, he sometimes mentions the tree that has since been removed.
I agree it may be a little too early to give such a gift.
That being said, if you are not a very talented sewer and can't make a quilt, I have another suggestion. After my dad passed, I took a lot of his Harley shirts and made them into pillows shaped like a tshirt. That way, they could still bring us comfort. They're shaped like the image below and are super easy to sew together.
I also want to say I think you're being an outstanding friend for thinking of this.
I love the quilt idea but have to add, make sure it's okay by your friend to cut and sew his shirts, she might not be ready to let go of them yet!