Saturday 26 September 2015

Keeping Freddie In Our Lives

Freddie will always be in our hearts. That's a given, he will never, ever be forgotten. But for me, I need more than that.These days, it is very easy to be consumed with busy thoughts and stress (and a small devil dog named Olive) so it's crucial that I have a little area or reminder that lets me know he's still here with me.
We have little reminders of him dotted around our house. We have our star certificate that one of Mattie's friends bought for us. It is framed and sits proudly on our windowsill in the living room so that our star is often looking down on us. If you're ever unsure on what to give someone that has experienced a loss I highly recommend getting them a star in the name of their lost one. You can use the co-ordinates on the certificate to locate the star on google and as Mattie doesn't believe in God he finds it such a comfort to know Freddie is up there, twinkling as our little star.
Mattie's cousins gave us a poem that they wrote which is truly beautiful. I find it very hard to look at currently as it is quite emotional so I've left it wrapped carefully in a moving box. I want to put it in our rainbow baby's bedroom as I think that's the only time I'll be able to read it...even then I'm not sure I'll ever be able to read it comfortably. It stirs up so many raw emotions that I'm still trying to control.
Freddie's little slinky mouse is also a very important part of my life. When he was born it sat in his cot with him. I took it to the hospital with me as I wanted it to be the first toy he ever had and it still was. I was close to burying it with him but I couldn't let it go, mouse spent hours in his little hospital bed with him and I needed it. I clutched it like a child for a long time after he died. It came everywhere with me, like a comfort blanket. It smelt like him and I couldn't let it go, I still think it does smell of him but it's probably just my mind telling me that. I don't bring it with me every time we leave the house anymore but if ever we go away overnight it has to be with me. Mouse stays in our bed and if I ever struggle to sleep, cuddling mouse is a massive help. I've even woken in the night to find Mattie holding it. I defend that toy with my life, Olive has tried to run off with it a few times and normally I'm pretty relaxed with what she chews, Mouse is a big no-no. It represents our pain and it represents Freddie.
Those of you that know Mattie and I will know he is a BIG Arsenal fan, much to my dismay (I'm not a football or even sport fan). He has the Arsenal club logo tattooed *brings up sick in my throat* on his arm so that basically puts his love for them in a nutshell. Anyway, I digress... a week or maybe two before Freddie was born we went on a hunt to find a mini Arsenal football for Freddie. Mattie's theory was that if we introduced football from the second was born, we'd have a professional footballer for a son. Don't worry if your eyes just rolled in despair, mine did too (and still do daily). We kept the ball for baby number two, fingers crossed, so they can play with it and think of Freddie. It's pretty special to us as not only does it remind us of the dreams we lost when Freddie died but it gives us hope for another baby, it's a statement that we WILL try again.
My favourite way that I remember Freddie by is my little corner I have made for him in our room. I have a little white frame with my favourite picture of him from the day he was born. On my mirror is a little string of wooden hearts that were in his nursery, it killed me that we had to pack his nursery away so I've kept them out of the boxes of nursery items. There's a little poster with his birth information on it (his weight, where he was born, what time etc) that I purchased here. I've also added a little jar with a posy of flowers, I feel like it adds a more cheery touch to remind me to be happy and positive which isn't always possible but it gives me a good head-start to a happier day. It is so important that he is the last thing I see when I go to bed and the first thing I see when I wake up and with this little display it makes sure this is always guaranteed.

No comments:

Post a Comment