About 12 years ago, my mom contacted Carrie's Bears and had a bear made for me and my sisters out of my dad's shirts when he died. On the back is printed one of his one-liners, "Best thing for that is a good night's sleep."
I asked the kids to pick out a favorite outfit of Elle's along with a picture for their own bears. Just before Mother's Day, I got a call that the bears were done, so Rob and I got to surprise the kids with them. Rob wanted to give them to the kids at Elle's gravesite, so we headed over that Sunday, Mother's Day.
Getty's Pinky Tag bear
Cam's Cheer bear
Mia's Heart Sleeper bear
Cy's Gray Rose bear
MK's Dance bear
My Baby Girl bear. I've decided I'm going to carry her on my hip wherever I go, walk her in our stroller, take her on bike rides, and just generally be a kook.
Well, I want to anyway.
With the extra fabric, Carrie made these hearts as Christmas tree ornaments and bedroom door hangers.
Here's a closer look at the bears. Carrie did an awesome, custom job.
This is typical of the outfits I would dress Elle in. A shirt, a skirt or tutu, and leggings or baby leg tights.
I tucked pieces of her original blankies in her skirt pockets.
In the photo on the back, she's wearing the same outfit while she plays Barbie's in the family room on kitchen bar stools she dragged in there.
MK wanted a Dance bear, so she found Elle's t-shirt with dance shoes on the front and leggings, because most of the time Elle would take off her skirt and just run around in leggings.
Mia picked out her favorite footed sleeper of Elle's. Mia has lots of memories of babysitting her in her pajamas on Friday nights when Rob and I would go out to dinner. Mia has tucked a piece of Elle's original red-tagged blankies inside the zipper.
Elle is wearing another footed sleeper in the photo.
Getty's Pinky Tag bear is made of a nightgown Elle loved to wear and her Pinky tag blanket. The tag is sewn into the end of one of the arms.
Cy chose the gray sweater dress outfit Elle wore in our November family pictures. She was posing like a pro, and I couldn't stop laughing. The kids who were in the car keeping warm were cracking up watching her and just swelling up with pride.
The pink nose is from a giant pink heart on the bum of Elle's tights. She would lift up her dress in the back to show the kids and couldn't stop giggling.
Cam chose Elle's cheer uniform. She loved stunting with Mia and told people she was going to be a cheerleader when she grew up. She also wore it to Mia's cheer competitions and for Halloween.
Too bad the bears aren't as cute as she was :)
10 comments:
I'm speechless. SO beautiful. Amazing! Love you!
Those are the sweetest things. What a beautiful keepsake.
Can you give me the contact for Carries Bears? I would love to do this with some of my dad's clothes.
I saw Cam and Cy's bears a bit ago and regognized the fabric immediately from Elle's outfits. They are so cute! It was fun to be able to see the rest of them. I've never seen that done before, turning clothes into a bear, but I think it is such a great idea! Those bears will be such treasured keepsakes!
What an amazing idea! That is one of the sweetest ways to remember someone I have ever heard of.
Those bears are adorable! I never did one for my dad...I still have the flyer you gave me.
I think those are the sweetest things I've ever seen :)
Precious.
Oh my goodness. I'm overwhelmed with greif and joy reading this post. I'm so proud of how you are documenting and dealing with Elle's death. You are doing such an amazing job helping your kids through their greif in a very healthy and productive way. I've always been amazed at your Mothering skills - for the last 18 years!! You continue to impress me with your diligence and the sacrifices you make for your children. I know your kids are so grateful for that (even though they may not show it) and that they will be eternally grateful that you will all be a family forever.
I love Carrie Bears. I've used her a few times to make bears out of Dad's clothing for each of my kids throughout the years. I'd love to have her make a bear for my family to represent Elle. We talk about her often and the kids know how special their Grandpere bears are. PS - I have some of Dad's shirts still to make more Carrie Bears for my kids (Izzie and Piper don't have one yet).
I also have on of the hearts CB made out of Dad's shirt that hangs on the door handle of my bedroom door. LOVE IT. That's something that you can keep when your kids move away and take their bears. A little piece of each of your kids memories w Elle to keep w you.
Wow, absolutely adorable. My heart still stops for a sec when I think of all you are going through. The pics of the kids hugging the bears make me cry. You are such an incredible mother. Good job.
That is so sweet! I love the pictures on the back of the bears! Thinking of you.
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