Things are finally coming together for Baby Girl and for our family. We are so excited to be moving this spring into a larger home; we were afraid our current home might explode if we brought home anything or anyone new! It is bursting at the seams with kiddos and all childhood accouterments.
We’re managing to pull together all of the important things she will need to make the move. The one thing that I am obsessive about for all of my babies is having a BLANKIE. Not just any blanket will do; it must be the PERFECT baby blankie: cuddly, lightweight (it gets REALLY hot in South Carolina – even in March!) but warm for the newborn, and durable (my three- and seven-year-olds still have their baby blankies; my nine year old would, but it “soaked into the walls” when she was three and we haven’t seen it since.)
Fill in the Blankie Review
A while back I ordered a blanket for Little Bit from Fill in the Blankie, and I received it yesterday. I must say it is quite the adorable, cuddly, and wonderful blankie that I thought it would be.
Fill-in-the-Blankie specializes in creating one-of-a-kind, ULTRA personalized baby blankets that truly say a lot about you.
I chose Pharoah’s Finest baby blanket because it sounded DECADENT.
New for this winter — these (2) incredibly soft 100 percent Egyptian cotton coverlets are backed with 400 thread count sheeting.
The white coverlet is quilted with a classic Greek tile pattern. Choosing the blanket was really difficult. I wish computers had a cuddle screen where I could rub each blanket against my cheek. Hazel’s Pride and Joy was my second choice, but I couldn’t imagine a gingersnap baptismal blankie (for that is when we present our babies with their special blankets!). The blanket, Natalie’s on Cloud Nine, was also in the running, but, again, we live in South Carolina; it gets hot – and sticky – in South Carolina. Sometimes fuzzy is just not comfy.
Once I had chosen my blankie, I got started personalizing my blankie “out the whazoo”! What fun I had trying to think of the perfect words to share with Baby Girl. We haven’t thought of a name yet and we don’t know her birthdate so that I couldn’t use those. I had to think of something TRULY unique to our family, something she would look at thirty years from now when she pulls her blankie from the memory box and smile. I decided on our lullaby of choice at our house: “You are My Sunshine.” When my husband and I met, this song became important to us, and we passed it on to each of our children.
You may be asking yourself, “How do you put an entire lullaby on a blanket?!” Easy, I tell you, for the good folks at Fill-in-the-Blankie. There are not two, but FOUR sides to every story, and each blanket can be personalized with up to 50 characters on EACH side!
I chose a very happy font (I love happy fonts!) called Sweet Dreams and a thread color – Big Boy suggested a glow-in-the-dark thread. I’m in for that, too; it would be different. Unfortunately, the embroidery machines didn’t think the glow-in-the-dark thread would be good for our blankie (they kept breaking), so we opted for the PINKALICIOUS! (What little girl wouldn’t love a color called Pinkalicious?!)
Then, there were the cutest little Sew Cuties that I couldn’t resist. I chose a sunshine printed on each of the four sides bordering the wording. How precious!
There is the option of adding a lovey to your blanket – all cuddled up inside. They even have a name for it: “Pig in a Blanket!” I gotta say that those guys at Fill-in-the-Blankie have a great sense of humor in addition to their attention to detail and professionalism. They have other lovies to add too, and I think that would be fun to add if you are giving one as a shower gift.
So, I ordered Baby’s blanket. I’ve waited patiently on pins and needles for this cuddly masterpiece that I created to arrive.
It was worth the wait!
It came gift-wrapped in a gorgeous fabric bag with a beautiful ribbon tied in a bow. I love those little touches.
When I took the blanket out of the bag, another big ribbon bow with a card attached with (what could be more appropriate than) a PINK diaper pin! FABULOUS!
The blanket itself is fantastic. The Greek-style tile pattern adds a bit of fluff to the already soft sheeting, and the back is wonderfully soft Egyptian cotton. As a grown-up, I use ultra-soft cotton sheets; why shouldn’t Baby get something just as nice and good for her? The satin border is so soft, and that is the part I remember about my own baby blanket – that silky soft border that I rubbed between my fingers while I sucked my thumb (yep, I remember because I was nearly six when I kicked the habit – and how did I kick the habit? Mom took my baby blanket away. {sigh})
After washing the blanket, it seemed to get even softer; although I was dismayed that the sheeting on the back needed good ironing, I hope it will work itself out on its own.
If you are in a hurry or don’t want a personalized blanket, they have a more economical and faster version. With three choices of blankets, each in two different sizes, and five precious stuffed animals to roll up with the blanket, there is a choice for everyone. I am already planning to order Oskar’s Oxford with a Hopofftobed pal for a friend who is having her baby in April right around Easter. I think she and her little bundle of love will adore the gift for years to come.
Fill-in-the-Blankie makes a true heirloom product, and with that said, their prices reflect that quality. These are not blankets that will eventually fall apart in the wash or get faded and worn. It is a blanket that your child will treasure and perhaps even pass to his or her own child. I am thrilled that we can give Baby Girl a blanket as special as she is!
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| Lauralee Saad loves homeschooling her three kiddos: Ballerina, age 8, Big Boy, age 6, and MESS, age 3. She enjoys sewing when she can find a spare corner to set up her machine and dig out fabrics, cooking and baking – especially if the kiddos are helping, and enjoying a good book after the kiddos have gone to bed. She is thrilled to be welcoming a baby girl into the family in March of 2012. |