9 Months of Gifting: Celebrating a Long-Distance Pregnancy

When my sister announced her pregnancy last month, a surreal moment happened and I saw her in a way I never had before. It was new and it was delicate and it was warm. She’s going to be a mommy.

Since she lives across the country and I won’t be experiencing the subtleties day-to-day, I decided to remain aware of the monthly changes and engage in her nine months of growth by sending care packages—one every month leading up to her delivery day.

And while I’ve been absolutely seduced by the baby category, I’ve decided to focus solely on sister. As with any expectant mother, she’s still a woman going through tough and new changes with her body, as well as a wife still in need of connecting with her husband.

So I’m thinking couples massage bars from Lush, Blue Apron dinners, booked facials, and easy solutions like the Hatch Layers Bag. Since she loves and misses Michigan, I might toss in some things from home like Traverse City cherries or fudge from Mackinac Island (where she and her hubs were hitched!).

This month I sent along the Mom's One Line A Day Memory Book that will log her next five years from bump to toddler. The time baby spends in the womb is so fleeting, you know? I loved the idea of looking back a year later and reading about the small and seemingly insignificant while your baby was still brewing.

For beauty and other gift ideas for the expectant mother, I'm digging what Mother magazine suggests here and here.