[Taryn]

Our birthmother is due in March!! Yea!! We are wanting to send her something for Valentine's Day. Any suggestions? Also, we want to give her a gift or gifts at the placement, any ideas on that as well?

[kdgordon]

Taryn,
We have given lockets to the two birthmoms we have had contact with them to be able to put pictures of the baby inside. We have also sent copies of Michael McClean's CD that has the adoption songs on them. Another possiblity is a scrap book that you start and she can continue to add pictures/letters to if you are going to send those after the baby is born.
Good luck,
Kathleen

[Free_to_be_me]

I got a very beautiful picture frame as a gift nine years ago that I still treasure.

Another idea that just came to me is a book called "A Ghost at Heart's Edge" It is a compilation of adoption poetry and short stories. It is a beautiful book (I think) with a heart on the cover (Valentine's day...). It is purple and silver and has a great texture. Yeah, I know that seems kind of silly but it really feels nice to hold. Beyond that, it has some wonderful thoughts in it. There are stories and poems written by adoptive parents, birthparents and adoptees.

[KZacharyC]

i was given a big gift for just me. They gave me a really nice rob for the hosptal and some bath things for after placment as well to help me relax because belive me it was ruff. And I was given a neclas wiht a charm that my son has as well for when he is older. for me to be reminded of him every day and he can hang close to my heart and always be with me.
I was also given a big jar full of queations they had for me and ask me to take one out eveyr time I wrote a letter, Explain And answer the queation for them.

hope this helps.

KZacharyC (LDS open adoption)

[Roxanne]

When you start taking pictures. make three copies. One for the birth mother. the child and yourself. Then give them as a gift later in life with the reunion. Roxy

[MkMw]

We gave our sons' Birthmom a ring with 2 rubies in it at finalization (their birthstone).

I would keep any gift prior to finalization small and clear it with your agency and/or attorney. But definately a nice card a small gift I'm sure would be appreciated!

Also - Skye Hardwick has put together some very nice baskets for gifts - but I can't remember the site....HELP! Anyone???

[aspenhall]

I've been out of the loop for a while, I am SO glad to hear you've been chosen AGAIN!!

There is a CD by an amom who is from my area. She is LDS and sings. She wrote the song for the bmom of her son. It's called Angel in Disguise. Her name is Trudy Needham. You can contact her for a copy at trudyneedham@hotmail.com

It's an incredible song. A cd is a good option. A bathrobe sounds wonderful and jewelry is very nice. but you may want to contact the bmom's case worker to see if anything would make her feel uncomfortable. A heart shaped picture frame comes to mind.

[secondchance]

Hi Taryn,
This is my first post. I'm not sure how I came across this website. We adopted a son through LDSFS. He was born in March '99, so when I saw your note, it brought back great memories! This idea is too late for Valentine's Day...I like to sew, so when we met our bmom, I bought her a stuffed animal rabbit and made some clothes for it with some sweet baby flannel. Then I bought a fleece vest for the bdad (we heard he liked to ski) and with the same flannel, I cut out a small heart and sewed it inside the vest. Then I made a baby quilt for our son with the same fabric. That way all 3 of them, bmom, bdad and baby all had a piece of the same fabric to keep with them.
Good luck. My heart goes out to all the waiting parents.
Gail