Mother Daughter Gifts

I don't know how many people read my blog, and those of you who do, how well you know me, so I will add a little background info to this post.

{My mom is legally blind. She has an eye disease called Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP. She was diagnosed in 198o and then they thought she would be completely blind by now. She can still see, although, she sees very little compared to a normal person and at night or in dark settings she pretty much sees nothing. This has never stopped her from projects, being involved in our lives or her grand kids lives and to be honest, her attitude inspires me. She reminds me to always be able to laugh at yourself and to never take yourself too serious. She amazes me daily. }

In 1996, I wanted to learn to cross stitch (just one of my mom's very many talents) she taught me how, and I began a project. Soon after beginning, I learned I was not a fan of cross stiching. I didn't like the counting and it takes a really long time, so I quit my project and thought very little of it as the years went by. In 2000, my mom surprised me for my birthday with a frame. Inside was the cross stitch I had begun 4 years earlier. I loved how she added both of our initials to the cross stitch, mine for beginning it, hers for finishing it. Today, it hangs in my craft room and is probably one of the most treasured gifts I have ever received.




When I was pregnant with Mason, my mom knitted him a blanket. His yellow blanket that to this day he sleeps with everynight. I know many people worry about SIDS and blankets but it has holes in it and I felt confident that God would never let anything harm my baby while sleeping with his grandma's blanket. I know this will be a treasurer for him when he is older.


When I found out I was pregnant again and we were having a girl, my mom began a blanket for her as well. (she kept this a surprise from me) After beginning the blanket over 4 times (she would find a missed stitch or a mistake and begin again) she called to tell me she was knitting a blanket for baby R was 1/2 done and found a missed stitch. She couldn't bare to rip it out again and was sending me the blanket to see if I could fix the hole. (Side note, I learned to knit 3 years ago, and although I am still a beginner I enjoy it) She said I could fix it and mail it back for her to finish, but I could tell she was frustrated and worried she would drop another stitch. I decided, I would do for her, what she did for me, many years ago- finish a project that was too much to finish.


I have worked on the blanket nonstop for the past two weeks. I wanted it to be complete before baby R arrives. I am happy to say, today during Mason's nap, I finished it. I think this means more to me than anything I could possibly give Baby R because it was made with love by both me and my mom. I can't wait to pass it down to her, along with my cross stitch to show her that whenever you think you can't finish something, your mom (or daughter) is there to help you through it. Although, I won't be able to teach her to cross stitch, I do hope to teach her to knit, so she has a lasting connection to both me and my mom.

Side note: To learn more about RP you can visit: http://www.preventblindness.org/index.html