Fitting enough. At my Asheville baby shower, I got the best shower gift ever. I don't mean the best gift of any of my showers, I mean the best gift of any shower any person has ever had EVER.
All the amazing women in my life got together, taking time out of their very busy schedules and made Frita this quilt. (Heck some learned to sew for it!)
Get your tissues.
Heck, I just got choked up posting that photo.
I'd like to go square by square and tell you who did them and what they all mean.
My Mom's Square
This is a heart-shaped portion of a pillowcase hand embroidered by my late Grandmother.
My Sister Heather's SquareHeather knows we love our cat! Funny thing is, when we were doing this photoshoot, Tuna kept sniffing and then sitting on this square! See:
My Mother-in-Law's Square
This is a doily handmade by Marc's Grandmother.
My friend Michelle's Square
Marc and I met Michelle 10 years (!) ago in Tucson. We now all live happily in Asheville!
My friend Calder's Square
A paper (felt) doll and outfits! Calder told me she got the idea because she thinks Frita will have a great sense of style. I can only hope she takes after Calder's daughter, Louisa.
My friend Robin's Square
This one is hilarious. Robin is part of a group of ladies that I watch the tv show The Bachelor with. (Don't judge us!) I'd love to know where she got a stamp that says "For the right reasons"!
My friend Lindsey's Square
Lindsey and I work next to each other, and funny enough, Marc works right next to her husband. She has heard all of our house renovation highs and lows. She had this idea because now with Frita, we are making it a Home. (Pass the tissues, right? So sweet.)
My friend Maria's Square
Maria and I also work together and like to give each other a hard time. That is why I feel free to divulge that the cat's eye buttons are from an old pair of Maria's underwear. Hey, she grew up in communist Bulgaria after all!
My Sister-in-law Steph's Square
This moose represents that this past October I became Canadian-in-law. Pretty cool, eh?
My Sister-in-Law Julie's Square
This is a childhood photo of Marc's Brother, sister Julie and Marc all holding the puppies of Marc's first dog, Trixie. The puppies name's were, Little Trixie, Stosh Junior & Reggie Jackson.
My Cousin Lindsey's Square
Lindsey made this square so that I'd have to reveal that my childhood nickname was Piggy. Which is actually much better than the name Lindsey called me because she couldn't pronounce "Nikki" ...and that name would have been "Geeky". Nice.
My Sister-in-Law Anna & Niece Cecilia's Square
This square has so many layers. Cecilia did a drawing of her idea for the quilt that Anna then embrodiered (a lot of work!) onto a baby blanket that she used with both Cecilia and her brother Michael. Cecilia's drawing:
My friend Lara's Square
Lara and I have known each other for about 20 years which means she has a lot of dirt on me! :) She hand-painted this four seasons square. It is just like what we have been through together - everything!
My Sister Missy's Square
This is a piece of fabric from a big rocking chair from our childhood. It was the first thing I saw when I opened the gift box ...and it opened the flood gates! Funny thing is, we were just talking (read: arguing) at Christmas over who gets the rocker! Now no matter what, I have a piece of it.
My friend Sumaya's Square
This one is really intricate, much like Sumaya herself. She lives her life with passion and happiness and seal, which is really all I could ever hope for Frita.
My Aunt Terri's Square
I love the colors in this one, but the story is even more hilarious. The ice cream cone is a reminder of one summer day when I was young. Terri's husband Bob took me, my siblings and his kids (6 total) to the lake to tube and ski. Well, his son Brian cracked his head open on a ski. On the way home to get stitches, an hour drive, Bob decided to stop for ice cream. While in the drive-thru, he hit the ice cream building with the boat and trailer causing everyone to run out of the building screaming. The boat had damage and I'm pretty sure Brian has a scar! Good times.
There were two more squares that couldn't fit on the quilt, so my friend Stacey handmade a very cool pillow with those two:
My friend Stacey's Square
Stacey is one of the funniest people I've ever met in my whole life. I love the eyes-wide-open expression on the big owl. I feel like that is me the second after Stacey hits a punchline. Mouth gapping open and eyes wide. And there is little blue Frita, trying to sleep and thinking: "Mom! Aunt Stacey! Put away the wine and quiet down! It's a school night!"
And last, but not least, the organizer of the whole quilt operation:
My friend Maggie's Square
Maggie is also known to my coworker's as "My Friend Maggie" because I talk about her so much. Maggie and I met in architecture school in Tucson, AZ. I take credit for introducing her to her husband and I give her credit for luring Marc and I to live in beautiful Asheville.
I also need to give her credit for this whole pregnancy-parenthood trip that Marc and I are on. Maggie's daughter, Eloise, will be almost exactly one year older than Frita. I will never forget going to the hospital after Ellie's birth. Maggie looked radiant (sorry, Brent, you were still looking rough). I held Ellie in my arms, looked at her sweet little face and told Marc:
"I want one."
And so here we are. 28 days to go.
I'll admit that I'm scared. Not so much of the birth, but of being a Mom. To a daughter. Daughters are hard. I know, I was one. I am one.
But I just thought of this: My plan for whenever it gets difficult. I'll wrap Frita in this blanket and know that even if she only gets one little bit of beauty from each of the women who helped make it she will not only be alright, she'll be amazing.
Thanks Ladies.
Labels:
nursery
You're right. Best gift ever. The quilt is beautiful, and your friends and family are amazing.
ReplyDeleteL-O-V-E.
ReplyDeleteI'm a guy and therefore not supposed to like this kind of stuff ... but I agree, that quilt is AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteThat is fantastic!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh, I'm crying over here too! That quilt is amazing and so uniquely special!! Your friends and family did a terrific job!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely best gift ever, What a great way to welcome Frita!
ReplyDeletewow... that's all I can say. This rules!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing gift. So special.
ReplyDeleteWow. I don't know you, but this quilt *me* cry. What wonderful people you have in your life!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. You are lucky to have these women in your life. And Frita will be lucky to have so many sweet aunties!
ReplyDeleteJust had to comment on this amazing gift. I just love the idea of wrapping your sweet babe up in all that love! We have a new little girl, too. Life doesn't get much better than this, huh?!
ReplyDeleteTell your friend Maggie that I might steal her birdhouse pillow design. That's so freaking adorable, and it will be fun for a toddler to play with, too!
i just found this webpage and started reading thru ur experiences you do such a wonderful job describing things and im laughing and tearing up over here...thanks for sharing this! great writing love the quilt so special....
ReplyDelete