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By Jessica Watson

Life after loss with autism, preemies and a rainbow baby

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The Perfect Gift

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In less than two weeks Ashlyn will be 16.

I can hardly believe it.

For her 16th birthday I wanted to create a gift for her that would include everyone who knows and loves her.

A Bellflower Book was the perfect solution.

Through Bellflower books, you can invite as many people as you would like to contribute their own thoughts and pictures to a one-of-a-kind 12 x12 memory book.

As our friends and relatives contributed stories one by one, I became more and more in love with this idea.

But when this beautiful book came in the mail,

page of book

and I sat down to read through page after page of the letters to my daughter, I was overwhelmed.

Overwhelmed by the love and support and kindness surrounding her.

When I found out Ashlyn had autism I wondered about her future.

Would she be loved and accepted and would everyone see passed her special needs to the true, amazing person that I could see?

Paging through this book the answer is yes. Yes a million times over.

She is loved and accepted and loved some more.

And I think this gift may be just as much for her as it is for me.

P.S. Don’t worry, she has no idea about the book and recently informed me she does not read my blog because it is boring (confirming that she is a true teenager) so this post will not spoil the surprise.

 

Now that I have discovered the AMAZING that is Bellflower Books I am thrilled to be able to give away $75 towards the creation of a Bellflower Book of your own.

Mandatory Entry for the $75 giveaway from Bellflower Books:

– Tell me your idea for a Bellflower Book creation.

Additional entries: (you must leave a separate comment for each additional entry)

– Follow Bellflower Books on twitter.

– Tweet the following: I just entered the @BellflowerBooks #giveaway @fourplusanangel http://t.co/7ofpwN2 (leave the link to the tweet).

– Follow my blog via Google Friend Connect or subscribe by email.

This giveaway is open until midnight July 22nd.

Many thanks to the wonderful ladies at Bellflower Books for giving me the opportunity to create a free photo book in order to perform this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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  7. angela says

    I have a couple ideas for them 🙂

    I would like to do one for my grandma. My family is spread out all over the place, and I think it would be a great gift for her to have all of our love in one place.

  8. Shayla says

    I would definitely make one for our non-profit, Owl Love You Forever! People could flip through it at our events!

  11. Stephanie says

    I big puffy heart photobooks! So a contest for one is awesome 🙂

    I want to do a photobook for my in laws 40th anniversary coming up next year. One that others could contribute to would be awesome.

  15. Oka says

    My mom suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in June. The bleed was on the speech and cognitive centers. Due to seizures and other medical issues that arose, she also can’t walk right now.

    She was moved to a rehab center a week ago and will be there for some time. I would love to do one of these books for her to see at the rehab center.

    BTW, I love this as an idea for a Sweet 16 gift 😉

  16. Erin Margolin says

    Beautiful gift & idea, Jessica! I bet she will love it. Awesome giveaway!

    xoxox

  17. Amy says

    I’m not entering the contest just wanted to say what a fabulous idea one filled with lots of love and something she can keep always and know how much she is wanted, loved and appreciated! I’m all about the memory books; I’ve created several for family members and individual books for my kids ~I love the idea of including others especially as a birthday gift…

  18. Tonya says

    What a beautiful gift. I am certain she will treasure that book forever. Wishing Ashlyn an a very happy early birthday.

  19. tracy says

    That is an incredible gift. I would love to do a book for Eloise’s bday this year.

  23. Paula@Simply Sandwich says

    Such an awesome idea!

    My daughter is leaving for college in the fall. She is having one last sleepover with her main girly-girls before they part ways. Since they are going to all be in different areas, I think I would create a book to include their senior high adventures! 🙂

  28. Kerry Wellstein says

    This review was amazing. You completely captured what our product is all about! Thanks to your help with spreading the word, hopefully lots of other people will get to have the same experience:) I have really enjoyed reading all of these comments. So many wonderful ideas for creating Bellflower Books!!!

  29. Ilana says

    I love that your daughter thinks your blog is BORING:)

    I’d love to do a baby book of my daughter for my mom. She would love it.

  30. Charlotte says

    What an incredibly sweet gift for your daughter. Happy birthday to your beautiful girl.

    I would love to give something like this to a friend/family member, thanking them for all that they do. A simple “just because” gift.

    I follow via GFC and I’m pretty sure I also follow you via Twitter (will check now!)

  31. Sarah says

    Thanks for doing the giveaway Jessica.
    I would do some kind of story for my kids about how they came to being.
    It will double as a keepsake for Alexander.

  32. Theta Mom says

    At a loss for words right now, what a touching post and one of the best reviews I have read about a product. Thanks for your collaboration with BB Jessica, you captured the heart of what this company is all about. Thank you!!

    • Jessica says

      Such an easy review to do because it truly was the best gift I could have given her (and myself). Truly can\’t tell you how much I love it. You have something very special here, Heather.

  34. Mrs. Jen B says

    That is just amazing! What a perfect gift! And yes, she is very clearly a teenager. 😉

    I have so many ideas for what I’d use that book for. I think the winning idea is to make one for my husband – since we moved in with his dad and he’s been staying home with him all day, he gets down so easily. I think a book full of memories/pictures from friends he no longer gets to see (and me!) might mean a lot to him. 🙂

  38. Jessica says

    I’d like to create a “when there were three” book to celebrate my family’s life (how it is and has been with just the three of us) before the upcoming birth of my daughter in October. I would like this book to be something for my toddler to look back on and feel okay with the thought of a new baby entering the picture.

  39. Noriko Major says

    I think there should have been some sort of emotional warning at the top of this post. It made my heart swell and my vision blurry.

    Your daughter sounds amazing, greatly due to such an amazing mom 🙂

  40. Runnermom-jen says

    What a wonderful idea!!! I had to laugh at the part where she said she doesn’t read your blog because it’s boring…you’re right, a true teenager! I’m really afraid of the teen years!

  42. Jayme says

    Oh that is an amazing gift! I think I’d take your cue and have one made for my oldest’s 16th which is next summer.

  43. Amy says

    Additional entry – I followed you on Google friends (I thought I already had!) I don’t do Twitter, so that’s it for me!

  44. Amy says

    Mandatory entry – I’d make a book for my parents’ 40th wedding anniversary this November. Even though they are pissed at me for ridiculous reasons.

  45. Kimberly says

    What an amazing gift! I think I would sit there crying as I read through it! That’s something I’d make for my oldest son.