Treasure: Julian & Co. Treats for Mom

Reality hit on Mother’s Day two years ago when a little blue strip appeared on a pregnancy test.  And another test.  And another test.  It took three separate tests to convince me that my life had changed forever.  The course of an otherwise normal pregnancy also changed drastically in my third trimester when I developed severe pre-eclampsia and had an emergency c-section at 34 weeks to welcome a 3 lb 14 oz beauty.

It was months before I could see a full-term baby plump with health and vitality and not choke back tears.  My own daughter’s legs kicked with loose sacks of skin around her knees, waiting for the layers of baby fat to arrive at her due date.  My husband and I took turns setting our alarms to make sure we woke every three hours to urge our tiny baby to eat.  Our friends with healthy newborns prayed to sleep through the night.

The difficulties connecting with “normal” pregnancies and “normal” babies made my discovery of Julian & Co.‘s custom jewelry that much more precious.  As my second Mother’s Day rolled around, I stumbled across a CoolMomPicks recommendation for a trendy, modern locket.  What sold me on the piece was the birth weight and height associated with the sample image: “3 lb 4 oz, 15.5 in.”  A preemie.  In the midst of all of those normal “7 lb 8 oz” baby examples, I had found a kindred spirit.

Julian & Co. is a jewelry company started by a mom of a preemie.  She, too, wanted a piece of jewelry representative of her son, Julian, when he was born 11 weeks early.  So began a career in designing modern twists on classic jewelry pieces.  The company tag line, “Jewelry About Love for Families”, makes me want to buy each and every hand- and foot-print stamped necklace to distribute at my own family reunion.

I’ve come across a number of mom-jewelry options in the past year, but few of the other companies rival the pause and appreciation I’ve had for Julian & Co.’s jewelry.  I love the elegant simplicity of the engraved silver lockets paired with the personalization of children’s names, birthdates, birth weights, and heights.  How quickly our precious bundles (whether they begin at 3 lb 14 oz or 7 lb 8 oz) disappear into bigger and bigger bodies.  What a unique and elegant way to commemorate the beginnings of life.

Julian & Co.’s Round Locket makes a touching and memorable gift for a first mother’s day, as I can attest since I still wear my locket with pride and nostalgia.  I’m also impressed with some pieces that are new since I bought my locket a year ago.  Of special note are the touchingly worded Godmother Necklace and the functional Nursing Necklace.  While dads traditionally avoid most jewelry options, I’m taken with the rugged dog-tag appearance of the necklaces and could certainly see my husband sporting the personalized cuff links.  Perhaps the most personal gift offered by the company is the new Scrawling Locket, which can be engraved with multiple kids’ names, favorite words, or the traditional birth specs.

What I love most about Julian & Co. is the evident insight they have into what first makes us parents.  It’s not the annual Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations.  It’s not the blue strips on a pregnancy test.  Parenthood truly begins the second we feel the weight of a few pounds nestled in our arms and stroke two little sets of fingers in our palms.  Julian & Co. celebrates those beginnings and preserves those memories in an heirloom any mom can be proud to wear around her neck.

Julian & Co. offers family-centered and personalized silver and gold jewelry for mom, dad, and baby.  You can still place an order before Mother’s Day, but prepare an IOU because the customized engraving and shipping takes a few weeks for delivery.  Trust, me, the wait is worth it.  For other great Mother’s Day gift ideas, visit CoolMomPicks for their always dependableMother’s Day Gift Guide.