one way you can help

recently, kim brought to my attention a woman named alley*.  alley is a young, pregnant mom to two boys, ages eight and two.  she's blogging her life - leaving an abusive husband and living with her children in her father's home in kansas.  she works nights, and she and her kids are still struggling to make ends meet.  alley is facing pressure from her friends and her church to place her child with an adoptive family, though she desperately wants to parent.  alley doesn't have anything that she'll need for the new baby and is working hard to pay off past debt so that she and her kids can move into a place of their own.  kim suggested that we all pitch in to help her out. 

i offered to lend a hand, and we came up with an idea.  online baby shower.  everyone has something to give - hand-me-down clothes and baby paraphernalia, a package of diapers, a can of formula, a gift card to a grocery store.  there are a million and one things needed for a new household and a new baby.  we had two baby showers thrown for us before zade came home and i think every expecting parent deserves one. 

i generally try not to solicit on my blog, but i believe that supporting alley is the right thing to do.  so i'm asking for your help.  let's throw alley a baby shower like no other.  here's what you can do to help. 

• buy a gift from the amazon.com registry i set up for alley
• get her a gift card to w*l-m*rt for essentials like food, clothing, diapers
• send alley a box of (good quality, no stains, etc.) your child's outgrown baby clothes
• make her a gift using your crafty knowledge (knitting, quilting, sewing, etc.)
• link to this post on your blog and encourage your readers to lend a hand!

below is a small list of items needed:

baby

newborn clothes for a february baby
infant car seat
crib and mattress
crib sheets
disposable diapers in size newborn and small
baby hats
blankets
newborn sling
double stroller (infant and toddler)
enfamil with iron
diaper wipes
baby soap and lotion
baby towels and washcloths
diaper pail
bottles
any other baby items you wish to donate

mom

maternity and women's clothes

boys

clothes in sizes 6/7 (boys small) and 2T/3T
books
toys

email me for information on how to send something directly to alley.

no gift is too small - anything will be appreciated. 

*blog name, not real name

Comments

[Reba]

I saw that blog.......I would love the address.... I wish we could figure out how to get her into her own apt......

[cloudscome]

I am with you on this. Great idea, and online shower!! I am knitting a baby sweater for her.

[Jenna]

Yo, count me in on this one. I'll be gathering up some stuff. Do you know if she plans to use a sling with the new baby? I have an older, younger baby sling that I wasn't necessarily planning on using with the next kiddo as well as a snugli for front wearing.

You didn't mention where alley LIVES. February is different across the country. And you didn't mention alley's size because I've got some maternity clothes that I can send but was a medium and swimminginalarge at the end of both pregnancies. So, I need to know if they would work.

Do we know the gender of new baby??

I'll be linking this on both our family blog and the birth/first parent blog. Thanks for the heads up, sweets.

[dawn]

Do you know what size maternity clothes she'll need? I'll keep an eye out for nice ones at the thrift stores. Also, can you email me her address?

[spyderkl]

That sounds like a great idea! I'll dig through my yarn stash today and see what I have in the way of gender-neutral hat/scarf/infant mitten things.

[Emily]

What a great idea. You can count me in. Tomorrow is pay day around here, thanks for another excuse to get to the resale store down the street. How do we send it? Do you want to collect and mail one big box? Or just send on an address? What ever is comfortable for her. Let me know, thanks for helping to organize this.

[Owlhaven]

I mentioned this over at my place too.

Mary, mom to many

[sandra]

Please email me her address. Does she know what she's having? And what size maternity clothes is she needing?

[Naomi]

I clicked on this link through This Woman's Work. I'd like to help. I've got a bunch of baby blankets I can share, maybe some other stuff as I dig through the closets. Email me if this would help.

Thanks!
Naomi

[baggage]

Wrote about it on my blog. I'll get her a gift card. Buggy and I have to go there today anyway. Let me know where I can send it..I'll see what else we have to send her as well.

[Margie]

What a great idea! I have a package ready to send, and will get a post up as well. Thanks for doing this!

[Overwhelmed!]

I'd be happy to mail her some gently used baby clothes and toys if you provide me with a mailing address. Does she know if the baby is a boy or a girl?

[Lisa]

I may be able to help. I'm also a mom who had a lot of pressure to give up my kids when I was pg. If she wants to she can read my story on my blog.

Also, I probably can't afford to buy her anything but I'm sure I can get some handmedowns together. I think you are in PDX as am I, my family lives in the metro Kansas City area. If she is near there, I may be able to assist in transporting some things to her through family. If you can, email me and let me know of her address.

Moms who love and are devoted to their children should be able to parent them, no matter what the financial challenges. I'd like to help if I can.

[Suz]

I love this idea. KimKim contributed to a gift package for my 15 yo niece who recently had a baby. So did many other online adoption bloggers. It was quite moving. While the teen mom ended up surrendering her child to a kinship adoption, she was deeply touched. I wished we could have all been closer to her to give what she deeply needed - emotioanl support, sleep, a friend to talk to. At least her child is staying in her family and will know her mother.

That being said, this effort is awesome. I strongly believe in paying it forward.

[mopsa]

I am all over this too. Thanks for initiating. I love the internets when it comes to bringing people together to lend a hand when its needed. I'll post some info on my site too.

[marie]

This is the sweetest thing EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I love all you guys!

[Lisa]

I tried to email you, I'm not sure it went through, so I'll post it here. i have an infants car seat she can have. Just let me know where to send it. It was bought brand new from Target or Walmart(can't remember which) last year for my son he only used it for 8 months(got too big!). It's in great condition and she can have it. Just let me know where to send it...

[The Wooden Porch]

Great idea! I'll post about it on my blog too. :-)

[deb]

I just sent off a few things from amazon. And then was struck with panic - will getting multiple packages cause strain with Ally's step-mother? You all worked this through with her, right? Just a little reassurance needed....and thanks for throwing the shower!

[Gillian]

I am concerned that the little and not so little guy are going to feel kind of short changed when stuff comes in and they aren't included. Could you give us some ideas of things the 8 year old and 2 year old could use as well?

[Gillian]

Sorry, that was bloody unclear. I mean specific toys that these guys would like and don't have. Duhh

[qualicumrn]

What a wonderful idea. I would love to send her a little package...would you please give me a mailing address. Thanks...

Alley is very fortunate to have connected with someone so generous and considerate as you....again great idea.

[Julie]

I posted a link and sent a little something from Amazon. I'm going to try to remember to send a few things from my own stash once I figure out how big Jackson is!

[Mia]

I am mailing a package off Saturday (tomorrow's payday :o) with things for the baby and the boys. I read through the comments but still do not see if a gender is known for the baby.

[Stephanie]

I'm in with knitted socks!! Send me the info.