baby - Baby Memory Book: Two Brothers Seperated at Death-United Again

My Grandma Crane lost her mother when she was six-years old. Her mother hadn't written anything down about her relationship with her daughter. Grandma grew up wishing for some memories of her mother, but unfortunately they just weren't there. When Grandma started her own family, she was determined to keep a good record for her children. She kept a detailed baby memory book for each of her seven sons. She noted their milestones: first smile, first tooth, first steps, etc. She recorded their first sayings. My dad claims his first words were swearwords, but I'm sure his baby book would attest otherwise. Grandma kept a copy of the boys' birth certificates as well as a foot and hand print. She even wrote down father's blessings and little letters from mother for each of the boys. Grandma felt closer to her babies as she compiled these books, but she never imagined the long term effect they would one day have. My Uncle Bobby, the youngest of the seven boys, was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was just six-years old. His oldest brother Curtis became his best friend as he fought through the excruciating sickness and the associated treatments. Curtis comforted, loved, and protected Bobby in every way he could. During a family outing to the carnival, Curtis and some of the other brothers took Bobby to the carnival funhouse where inside a padded room the boys would hang from "monkey bars" on the ceiling. They would have "king of the hill" style wars where the last boy still hanging from the bars was the winner. Curtis and the other brothers decided to make sure Bobby was victorious. They swung from bar to bar knocking the other boys down while telling Bobby he was winning. Amidst their fun, a young man was able to slip past their defense and was headed straight for Bobby. Curtis saw it happening. "Don't you dare knock him down!" he shouted. The young man continued toward Bobby. "If you knock him down, I'll punch your lights out!" called Curtis. With a swift kick, the young man knocked Bobby to the ground. I'm sure the youth was oblivious to what he had done; what a surprise it must have been to turn and face Curtis and five other ornery brothers. Within the next year, Curtis was called over seas. Bobby passed away shortly after Curtis' departure. His passing was difficult for the entire family, but particularly hard for Curtis who was far from home. Curtis and Bobby had become so close, and how Curtis wished he could see him again. Forty years have passed since Bobby's death. Last year Grandma handed Bobby's baby memory book to Curtis. After reliving his memories with Bobby, and sharing them with his family, he decided that he had never before received such a meaningful gift. The faded memories of Bobby were revived as he read them with his family. The relationship between the two brothers, separated by death, still lives on. To create your baby memory book, visit http://www.imemorybook.com/baby-memory-book FamilyLearn helps you strengthen and unify your family by inspiring and enabling you to preserve, search, share, and learn from life's stories. http://www.imemorybook.com/baby-memory-book Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Benton_Crane baby - Baby Shower Decorating Ideas For a Cute and Inexpensive Baby Shower When it comes to baby shower decorating ideas, the usual quandary most hostesses find themselves in is finding cute baby shower decorations that don't cost a lot of money. You don't want cheap-looking decorations, but on the other hand, you don't want to have to pay an arm & a leg just to have nice-looking decorations. Here is the #1 rule to follow when decorating for a baby shower: Simplicity Rules! Baby shower decorations are not the reason people come to a baby shower. Decorations are accents that enhance the theme and feel of the party. So, a few tastefully chosen baby shower decorations will give your party the perfect touch - not too much, not too little. The secret lies with choosing classy yet inexpensive baby shower decorating ideas. Use these 3 baby shower decorating ideas to give your party a beautiful atmosphere, yet without spending a lot of money: 1. Use Flowers. When people see flowers, they see life, color, beauty and hope. Those qualities are exactly what we see in a baby as well. So flowers are the perfect decoration to complement a baby shower. You can match pink or blue flowers to the gender of the baby (or yellow for the "to be determined" baby). If you have a specific theme, like Winnie the Pooh for example, you could have red and orange flowers to match the Pooh theme. Now, it is easy to spend $40 or more on a bouquet of flowers. But remember our rule: Simplicity! A simple, pretty bouquet of flowers in a vase would be perfect. You can buy a bouquet of flowers at most grocery stores starting at $6. A vase is another dollar or two. And voila! You have a fresh, vibrant feel for your baby shower! Beautiful AND inexpensive, the best of both worlds. 2. Display photos of the mom-to-be, dad-to-be, family and friends. People love to look at pictures. We all do! We all love to look at pictures of people, what they're doing, what they're wearing, where they're at, & who they're with. Pictures are fun, personal, and interesting. So, displaying a few pictures of the mom, dad, and their family & friends at the baby shower is a perfect decoration to give your party some personality and flavor. Pictures really personalize a baby shower and let everyone get to know the expectant mother a little better. They are also a fun ice-breaker and get everyone talking & laughing. Another great thing about photos is: they cost almost nothing, so they make for an inexpensive baby shower decorating idea! Just ask the expectant mother for a few photos of herself, her husband, any pregnancy pictures she likes of herself, photos of her friends & family, plus any baby pictures she has of herself or her husband. Display them in a little photo album or better yet, mount the photos on several sheets of scrapbook paper and decorate the pages with stickers, die cuts, ribbons, quotes, poems, & other baby related embellishments. Either set the pages on easels (they cost about $1 at a craft store) or lay them flat on the gift table. They will be a big hit! Pictures never fail to add a fun & personal touch to a baby shower. 3. Buy Some Balloons. "But balloons are so common," some may say. Yes, but balloons are the universal symbol for a party! Balloons could never be out-of-place or in-bad-taste at a baby shower. Plus they are inexpensive! A balloon bouquet starts at around $5 at most party stores. You could go with baby blue, light pink, yellow, or any other color that matches your theme. Tie the balloons to the gift table, the expectant mother's chair, or scatter them throughout the party room. They look festive and remind your guests that this is a celebration! Remember Simplicity. When it comes to baby shower decorating ideas, keeping it simple is key. Do not equate simple with cheap, poor quality, cheesy or tacky. Rather, these 3 simple, classy baby shower decorating ideas will add a simple & sweet feel to the baby shower that will give your party a fun, intimate, and memorable mood. AND you won't have to break the bank to do it!