Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Timeless Keepsake




My brother Denis had this blanket, a yellow blanket, that he apparently carried with him wherever he went. I had a baby doll named Pinky and she was carried every where I went. When I think what possible object may Kaitlyn grow to love and obsess over I imagine it being the lovely blanket that her Great Grandmother knitted for her (shown in this photo). It's the perfect baby/toddler size, large enough to swaddle her, small enough to pack in a bag and colorful enough to add a sparkle to any room--and more importantly, easy to find if ever mis-placed!
My Grandmother is a healthy woman, but her memory has been victim to pockets of forgetfulness. In a phone conversation with her I could repeat Kaitlyn's name five different times and her birth date three times. We could jump from one topic to another and then repeat the first topic of discussion as if we never addressed it before. While the sporadic memory failure is part of life and surely a bit frustrating for my grandmother at times, she never forgets who I am or the man I have married--who she referred to as 'the boyfriend' and now 'the husband'. I don't think she always remembers his name. Whatever the case, she did remember to knit Kaitlyn a blanket (even though I have a strong feeling my mother may have had a part in prompting her memory). It was no easy task as it was reported to me that my grandmother would pull it all apart, forget who she was making it for, and then as if her memory never failed, she would talk to you as if she knew about Kaitlyn since I conceived her and this blanket was a full time project she was determined to complete.
It's endearing to hear about the love that went into its creation. Knowing my grandmother will not be around too much longer, this is a timeless keepsake that I will cherish. If Kaitlyn doesn't take to it like I did Pinky or Denis did his yellow blanket, I may possibly be the one who carts it around!