Philip's Memory Quilt

When Philip was about four months old, I started having those tender but sad moments where I had to put away sweet little outfits that no longer fit him. When the bottom drawer of his dresser became too full to add anything else, I was forced to put them all in a rubber maid tub, perhaps for another baby one day, but a few times these past three years, just to open and reminisce.

Enter Little Philip's Great Aunt Mary Helen, who offered to make a memory quilt for him. I had seen examples of these quilts before, usually made with t-shirts. It's a great idea and a loving way to preserve memories. However, nothing could have prepared me for how cute Little Philip's quilt would be, or how much he would love it too. It arrived last Friday, just as we were pulling out of the driveway for our trip to Nashville. I put it in the car and Little Philip slept on it the entire weekend. Since then, it has been a nap mat, a TV time blanket, the roof to a fort, a great hiding place, and even a tummy time quilt for Helen. For his parents, Little Philip's blanket has been a trip down memory lane.

On one square, Aunt Mary Helen included the snap bottom from a sweet little onesie, one I recall being on our baby boy around two months of age. Now, our three year old boy enjoys unsnapping and snapping with hands that are about the same size as his once teeny-weeny little bottom.

Another square is from my favorite little red sweater Philip wore at eight months old. It had a brown horse on it, something I knew would please his Daddy. After all, Big Philip's first word was "horse."

Yet another square was of a yellow shirt, appliqued with a firetruck and monogrammed with Philip's name. This shirt was very special because it is what he wore on his first day of daycare at Trinity UMC, when he was about 14 months old. I remember crying as I left him that day, Big Philip dragging me out the door as I pointed to his shirt to remind his teachers of his name. Next to this square are the back pockets of his seer sucker romper. Now he hides coins and fake bugs in them to find later.

If you haven't thought of having a memory quilt made, I strongly recommend it. All those wonderful memories of that first year of parenthood are now visibly in our home. Every square of that quilt reminds me of another tender moment and how important it is to cherish the time I have as a mama of little ones. That sweet little baby bottom that once fit into that onesie now belongs to an energetic three year old...that insisted on wearing his batman pajamas to show off his quilt.

Thank you, "Ellen Mary Ellen" for our quilt! (watch the video and it will make sense.)