Forever Cousins

I am always in search of memorials to remember Brie. I have a charm bracelet from PJ, and over the past six months he has given me Brie's birthstone and a pacifier charm. My mom had a remembrance bracelet made for me with Brie's name and birthday engraved on it. Both of these bracelets are incredibly important to me, and I wear them everyday. However, to a grieving mommy like myself, you can never have enough memorials when you've lost a baby. I read Angie Smith's blog "Bring the Rain" at http://angiesmithonline.com/2008/01/beginning-of-story.html and she was discussing a company run by Christian moms called "Baby Be Blessed Dolls."(Website is www.babybeblesseddolls.com) This company makes dolls that resemble your child, and they stitch in the bellies the child's name, birthday and a scripture. Since my nieces Madeline and Abigail are too young to remember much about Brie, I had a doll made for each of them as well as having a Brie doll made. After taking a picture of the three together, I gave Madeline and Abigail their doll with the picture of all three. Madeline, being freshly 2 really doesn't understand but surprisingly Abigail actually seems to understand.
The morning of Aly's graduation, a week ago Abigail turned to me and asked me where my baby was and if I still had a baby in my belly. I can't believe she remembers! We have told her that Brie is "dancing with Jesus", and she seems to atleast accept that. So, I gave her her "Abigail" doll with the framed picture and explained to her who each doll was. I honestly believes she got it because she immediately told everyone in the room that the picture was of her, Maddy and "Baby Bee" as she calls Brie. She just lit up and set the picture on the coffee table. When Melanie started to pack up Abigail's things to go home, Abigail kept asking where the baby and the picture were. My hope is that when the girls look at their dolls and the picture of all three, they will remember Brie and understand where she is.