In case you are not a baseball fan or didn't hear.... THE SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS WON THE WORLD SERIES! This may not sound that impressive to the average person, but the Giants have not won a World Series in 56 years. The team moved out to California from New York in 1958, winning their last World Series title in 1954. The love of a team and organization is something that can bring complete strangers together.
My (Selena's) husband and I are a San Francisco Giants family because my husband has been a fan ever since he can remember and has worked for the organization for over 15 seasons. I had the pleasure to meet Victoria in passing at a Giants game and could tell she was such a special person. She loved the idea of our company and quickly ordered a gown for a friend. I learned she was pregnant also as she said she would be buying a gown for her upcoming birth in October. October came on with a furry in our baseball worlds... we all sat at the edge of our seats in disbelief! We all were hoping that this just might be the season when the Giants go all the way! They did just that and faced the Texas Rangers in the World Series. Games 1 and 2 were set to be in San Francisco and my husband wanted to take our 2 little boys, ages 2 and 4, to a World Series game because as all Giants fans know.. this is a once in a lifetime experience! At the hot dog stand (where I was breaking up a fight between my boys over a balloon a kind stranger handed only one of them- ugh), I was so surprised to see Victoria again! She was radiant, like most Giants fans, but she was STILL pregnant! I couldn't believe it as I had seen on Facebook that she was due before this date! I knew at that moment...that this baby was going to be a Giants fan for sure! Here she is at game 2 of the World Series... how cute is she?!
I thought it was so wonderful that she was able to attend the World Series games, so I thought it would be fun to have her tell us a little bit about her pregnancy and her Giants winning season story.
"A little bit of the back story... My husband and I are huge San Francisco Giants fans (we actually met on the field at AT&T Park in 2007!). This past spring we were at Spring Training in Arizona and I was newly pregnant and I said to my husband, "We're having a World Series baby and the Giants are going to be in it!" - at the time, a VERY bold statement to make. Fast forward 9 months and sure enough, the Giants did make it to the World Series and our running joke during the month of October was that my water would break at a playoff game. No such luck on the water breaking at a game, but the Giants DID go on to win the World Series! After all of the festivities and the parade, it was finally time to welcome our little Giants fan into the world - 2 weeks late! He didn't want to rain on the Giants parade - literally and figuratively!"
Now how does this all relate to Annie & Isabel hospital gowns?
"I checked into the hospital to be induced and they handed me the standard hospital gown and right then I thought, "how could I have forgotten to get one of those adorable Annie & Isabel gowns?" In the weeks leading up to the birth, I'd been in total World Series/baby mode, waddling to playoff games and getting everything that I could possibly need for a newborn but realized that I had completely neglected to think about what I might need - a cute, stylish hospital gown being at the top of my list. Right then, I sent an email to Selena, one of the brilliantly creative and stylish ladies behind Annie & Isabel, promising that I would never let one of my girlfriends ever go without an A&I gown for all future baby deliveries. I figured if I put it in writing, to the inventor no less, then I would absolutely live up to my pledge!"
BACK TO MY OWN THOUGHTS HERE: I was just about to go to bed for my early morning at the hospital and I received this message from Victoria. I drive an hour and a half to work and have to get to San Francisco an hour early to miss all the bridge traffic. I thought, what a wonderful way to waste an hour before work.. hand delivering a gown! I totally understood her pain, as I too was handed that same standard gown for the birth of my first son. This is obviously not something we can do for everyone, but if you read along with this story.. I think it was all meant to be!
"Well... then came the best surprise ever!! A beautiful Isabel gown was hand delivered to my hospital room the very next morning, just in time for the delivery of my precious baby boy, Sean Michael. I was completely overwhelmed by the thoughtfulness of Selena to make sure that I, too, would be stylishly outfitted for my son's arrival into the world. It was a token of generosity that won't soon be forgotten. Not only did I feel pretty for the most amazing moment in my life but I felt the LOVE behind Annie & Isabel and all of the passion that these ladies have poured into the creation of these gowns. I give thanks not only for appropriately dressing me for the occasion but also for giving me my new "go-to-gift" for all future moms-to-be! I'm happy to report that I've already held true to my promise, gifting an Isabel gown to my dear friend Ashley who delievered a beautiful healthy baby boy, Jack Edward, just four days after Sean arrived!"
We will forever cherish your words Victoria! We are so happy that we, even at the last minute, were able to provide you with the style and comfort that all women deserve in the hospital!
The most touching part to us was seeing all the beautiful pictures of you on Facebook later that day as you received special visitors to meet Sean. You looked SO gorgeous in your Isabel gown and it was such a beautiful backdrop to all of your first photographs! We look forward to seeing little Sean next season at the park!
Here is what Jackie had to say about having her very own Annie & Isabel hospital gown:
