Two weeks ago, a couple of friends of ours, James and Beth, had their first child: a little baby boy, who they named Riley. I have been planning to send a very special gift to them within the last couple months, especially since they were planning a homebirth. I finally shipped it out last week. Here is a photo of everything I included:
In this care package, I included a hand-knit Aviatrix hat, three onesies, a handmade burpcloth, three pairs of handmade waterproof nursing pads, two Mother’s Milk tea bags, and a copy of The Baby Book by William Sears and Martha Sears.
I started knitting the Aviatrix hat in January for the baby. Since James and Beth did not know the sex of their baby, I picked out a very pretty (and neutral) minty green. The pattern for the hat (the pattern is available on Ravelry) was a lot of fun and it knit up pretty quickly, too, even though I knit a larger size. I cannot wait to see a picture of little Riley in this hat! Here is a picture of the finished hat:
I also included a handmade burpcloth, which is large enough to be used as a changing pad in a pinch. The right side is has blue-greens-browns cotton stripes while the back is super-soft white terry cloth, as you see in the photo:
For the breastfeeding mama, I included three pairs of nursing pads, which are backed with a waterproof lining. One nursing pad is yellow, one is tan and white polka-dot, and one is sky blue. Since they are waterproof, they will hopefully keep mama dry at night in the first few months when her supply is settling. I also gave two bags of Mother's Milk tea by Traditional Medicinals. It is my favorite lactation blend. Here is a picture:
I had been keeping an eye out for The Attachment Parenting Book by William Sears and Martha Sears, but unfortunately have not been able to get my hands on a copy. That book is my favorite gift for new parents. Instead, I decided to give the ever-classic The Baby Book by the same authors. William and Martha Sears take a gentle, natural approach to parenting and medical care, which I know James and Beth will appreciate. The idea behind their baby care is simple: Know your baby and Know your baby's cues.
Even though this gift was not expensive or extra-fancy, I really had a great time putting it together in the hopes that the new parents will find everything useful. The hat was by far one of the most unique knitting projects I have done yet, and I hope James, Beth and Riley enjoy everything! Congrats!
As for my 52 project challenge for 2010, I consider the making and compilation of this gift to be project 45/52.
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