memories of crocheted blankets

Over Christmas break I have decided to crochet a niece of ours a baby blanket. She recently found out she is pregnant, and what better gift that a handcrafted warm blanket for the new little one? If you know me, you have already heard me ramble on about how I despise crocheting blankets. They are long projects that I just don't have the patience for. I have literally made only 2 blankets in my crocheting history (which is approximately 13 years), and both blankets were baby blankets, one for each of my own daughters. So, I have been working on this blanket daily, and most times I am thinking to myself....why did I start this again? Not because I don't want to make our niece a beautiful gift to show our support, but because, it is a blanket that seems to take forever. Aside from that, I have also been reminiscing about the other 2 blankets I made. It is strange how our mind can associate certain things to a specific memory, one that floods over you so strongly. I remember crocheting my first blanket, which was actually my very first crochet project ever, how I even learned to crochet. I remember trying to get it all just right, working with the soft pastel colors (pink, green, blue, yellow), and how it felt having my large baby belly while I did so. The memory makes me smile. It is just one of those things, as a mother, that will always warm my heart to know that I took the time to create something special like that for each of my daughters. That I was putting myself into something for them before they were even born. It is kind of symbolic of a mother's love really, a mother knitting, crocheting, or sewing baby booties, blankets, or hats. It is that first initial gesture so many moms make to express their budding, long-lasting love for their child. Not just for myself, but for all the mothers that take part in something similar, it is really a precious thing. I am finding it quite a blessing to be thinking about every time I pull out my niece's baby blanket to work on. If you have any children, did you crochet or knit your children something before they were born? Or did you do something completely different that expressed your love prior to their birth? Do these memories bring forth any emotion for you?