Already

I am already thinking about the fact that Olivia's next birthday will be her fifth. We've decided to fundraise to purchase a pretty paver in our local zoo's beautiful carousel courtyard for her. The paver will read "In Memory of Olivia (middle name) (last name)". The total cost is only $100. We have a website through ChipIn! where family and friends can go to donate through our personal PayPal account. I'm even thinking about having a little get-together at the carousel courtyard with a birthday cake for those who donate. Yes, I think I will. I love so much that girl of mine.



Her fifth birthday will be on May 1, 2012, but the fundraiser ends on January 30, 2011 to allow time to submit the engraved paver request and to have the engraving done.

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Headstone Help

If you or someone you know needs financial help purchasing a headstone for their baby please visit this website: http://www.dempseyburdick.com/index.html.
I have always had the same thought. I thought of doing a fundraiser to buy the small temporary metal haedstones that are flat on the ground for the babies without headstone in Olivia's cemetery. Now I'll just try to contact the families and give them this information.

Thank you Kevin Burdick.

Getting Past the Holiday

Do we need to "get past Christmas" or Thanksgiving for that matter? Just as the sun rises the holiday season will come. The world will celebrate whether we want to avoid facing the festivities without our babies or not. Shouldn't we still be thankful for our blessings and enjoy Christmas? The world would expect as much, and we may or may not expect it and want it for ourselves and out families. It can be hard; but whether you wish to be joyful or not, here's some collected ideas to make all your Christmases a little brighter:

-Buy a beautiful Christmas candle and light it each day through December. It can be a daily, silent reminder of your baby and maybe make the whole house seem just a bit warmer.

-Plan your shopping trips ahead of time or try creative alternatives. Try shopping at a different mall, and go early in the day before bumping into all those merry shoppers. Or shop online!

-Enlist the help of others in wrapping your gifts. Many friends would love to help but need to be asked.

-Consider changing your traditional family Christmas letter. Feel free to mention your loss. You may feel good sharing your feelings and others may benefit from hearing it as a reminder of the "true meaning of Christmas".

-Give yourself permission to change family traditions. Doing things differently this year may help to ward off some bad memories or expectations.

-Try a new idea when you are getting ready to hang up Christmas stockings. Go ahead and hang one up for your baby. Encourage each family member to write a note to the baby that can be read on Christmas Eve. A flower placed in the stocking for Christmas morning is a sweet sight.

-Determine to do one special thing for someone else in December. Maybe you know someone who is hurting like you or a lonely neighbor who could use a short visit. Perhaps you could make cookies to give away, pick out a special card to send or take a plant o someone.

-Contribute to your favorite charity in your baby's name.

-Pamper yourself this month. Be determined to buy yourself a present.

-Plan on taking the time to cry. It is normal to have to cry during the holidays. Holidays intensify all emotions. Why should your loss be any different?

From "Getting Past Christmas" by Carlene Vester Eneroth

Holiday Remembering

Ideas to Remember Your Baby During the Holidays

- Light candle at a set time every evening to remember you beloved child, sibling, or grandchild.
- Volunteer to help others once per week in remembrance of your child.
- Meditate or pray for all the families experiencing the death of a child each day this month.
- Create a loss journal of every "remembrance activity" you participate in.
- Create a work of art such as a clay project, video, scrapbook, or musical composition.
- Write ten letters or cards of gratitude to those someones special in your life.
- Devote yourself to reading one meaningful book during this month about love, life, and loss.

Taken from www.missfoundation.org.

Memorial Fundraiser

We just started a fundraising campaign and it would mean a lot to us if you can help us out. All funds raised will go to The National Stillbirth Society in honor of Olivia's first birthday on May 1, 2008.

Donated funds to stillbirth research are low due to the public not being aware of just how large of a problem stillbirths are. Also, many families of stillborn babies are understandably not comfortable discussing the matter. In fact, up until recently they were told by doctors not to discuss the matter.

The numbers are shocking. An estimated 26,000 SADS deaths occur annually in the U. S., many of them at or near full term. Stated another way, 1 in every 115 deliveries is a "still" baby. Despite advances in so many areas of obstetrics, the incidence of stillbirths in many states has been rising in over the past decade.

Very slowly, awareness is being raised. It is our hope that with that awareness comes a realization of the need to fund research to prevent these deaths. Breath outside the womb is the only difference in SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) and SADS (Sudden Antenatal Death Syndrome). Though the subject is not a comfortable one, we need to make SADS as well known as SIDS, and raise funds to help find a cure.

Please take a quick minute to browse our fundraising webpage by going to http://www.SupportOurGroup.com/ZF760.

Please spread the word! Share this fundraiser with a friend.

We really appreciate your help. Thanks for your support!

No One Knows

Everyone knows it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but no one knows it Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. It's a very worthy cause too that also deserves funds for research for a cure/prevention.

A Free Way to Help Support Cord Accident Research

Click here to read about a free way to help support cord accident research: I GIVE. Thank you.