Harry's Birthday Weekend

As part of my blogging journey, as well as writing about the emotions and feelings of being a bereaved mother I wanted to keep a little log of the things that we do to remember Harry and obviously his birthday weekend was a huge milestone in our grief journey and we had a lovely weekend full of rememberance.

We started Harry's birthday weekend by lighting a candle that we would burn for the 26 hours representing his little lifetime, with a beginning and an end:

At 22.37 (8th June)

At 1am (10th June)

At the exact time of his birth 22.37, we also set off a chinese lantern to Harry from our backyard:

Both these things I found incredibly moving and significant.

Something I struggled with was no birthday party. I kept remembering William's first birthday party and how lovely it was to watch him playing with his friends and blowing out his first ever birthday cake candle, surrounded by those who love him. Harry would never have this.

So my mum had a lovely idea about doing a little birthday tea as she does for everyone in our family, and said she would make a cake and bring some flasks of tea and some blankets to sit on, and we would go and visit Harry's grave and have tea and cake:

Then, on Sunday morning at 1am, the time when Harry became a beautiful angel,  we set off some lanterns on Budleigh beach to send our birthday messages to Harry and how much we love and miss him.

It was very moving to watch these lanterns float off in the wind and represent Harry's little soul going off to be in heaven with the other angels.

A lovely and very memorable weekend.