It is a very hard day. The most difficult day for me was the day Evelyn passed away which was June 2nd, 2009. Evelyn was born on June 4th, 2009. There are so many lovely ways to honor your baby. It really depends on how you are feeling. I felt like having a quiet birthday for Evelyn. We made her a cake with a candle and sang to her. I created a birthday wishes link for her on The Evelyn Rose Foundation. It is ok for you to have a large family event or a small quiet event, as I said it really depends on your feelings as the day draws nearer.

Couple thoughts - Make cards for your baby to send to family and friends who you KNOW understand where your heart is. You could buy a bamboo plant (I love bamboo plants)and have your baby's picture on the vase, or next to it with a candle lite. Or maybe make a keychain. Remember to be gentle with yourself, ok?

Love,
Tammy
evelynrosefoundation.org

Wow, another angel so close to our date. I am so sorry, sorry for all of us!!! We lost Carly on the 18th (I believe), found out and started labor on the 19th and delivered on the 20th of December 2009.

We are doing baby announcement/Birthday cards and asking people to light a candle for her at 7pm on the 20th. Another DS member gave me this idea and I loved her cards.

I am sure my family will do a small birthday party with a small cake and visit her grave site as well. It is going to be hard and already is every day. I figure what's another day of this agonizing pain.

I am sure you will be able to find something special. Anything you do will be special for your angel. Hang in there, Hugs, Stacy

Thank you both for the suggestions. @Carlysmom2 we actually found out on the 18th. but for some reason I still think of the 19th as her "birth" date. It's the first day we got to see her and hold her.

We did cards as well and included a piece of seed paper and asked people to plant it in Delilah's honor. We also did a balloon release (we have a 5 & 3 year old and this was good for them). We visited her grave and brought a nice arrangement. Also, we are sponsoring a little girl in an underdeveloped country with the same birthdate as Delilah. This has been very healing for us...we get pics and letters from her and her family and send her the same. I got all these ideas from DS moms.

Good luck, I know it will be a difficult day but I hope you are able to find some peace and healing.

Kerri

Sorry I don't have any good suggestions. Just a piece of advice from a friend who had a stillbirth in 2007. She said to at least take the day off from work. So I'm at least going to do that. So if you have to work that day maybe go ahead and request the day off.

I've got a friend who has the 1st anniversary of her boys birthday coming up, and I want to do something special for her, coz I know noone else will do anything and it's such an important day.
So am glad of any suggestions too.
Other ideas of things to do...
One friend of mine donated money to a stillbirth charity in the name of my daughter, which was so special that other families will benefit from something my daughter prompted. Also 2 friends of mine planted trees, one in Australia and one in UK, so local wildlife will benefit from my daughters life... and trees are so special... I also decided to organise a charity fund raiser for the mums and baby unit at our local prison. Those ladies will have their children put in care as soon as they reach 18months, leaving the mums to finish their sentences alone... that is so awful, like a double punishment for their mistakes. I felt a common ground with those ladies, and just wanted to help them have as special a time as possible with their little ones while they can. I felt like I can't be a mum to my angel but I can help others and make a difference in their lives... it is so important to me that my angel makes a positive ripple. In her memory this world is truely a better place.
I don't know if that is helpful, but I think I want my angel's life to make a difference in this dark world, that as she experiences heaven where she is, a little bit of heaven can be released down here too...

I made a gift basket for a stillbirth mommy and donated it to the birthing unit at my hospital. I made it in honor of Jack for his 1 year birthday. In the basket I included a onsie, blanket, handprint/footprint picture frame, a stuffed animal, a pillow that you could write on the birth stats, the book empty arms, etc. I also wrote a small note about my story and a list of things to do that would be helpful. I am going to do it again this year for his two year-but this time I am going to make 2 baskets. I plan to do this each year. I am really glad I did that. We also had a birthday party to remember him by.

I just wanted to comment on Mom2Jack's response, because she brought up a very good point. If you are interested in kinds of bags/baskets like what she sort of described, I encourage you to look into the evelynrosefoundation.org. Tammy (founder and Mommy to Evelyn Rose) does the Delicate Memory Bags and I have had a few donated to my hospital in the name of Carly. It's a beautiful gesture and Tammy has really perfected the contents and the beauty of each bag. Just a thought, Hugs and Best wishes for whatever you decide, Stacy