PAULS VALLEY, Okla. (AP) - Oklahoma Army National Guard Spc. Kyle Hewett, who is training in Texas for deployment to Iraq, was not able to he home this Thanksgiving, but his family celebrated the holiday with the next best thing: a life-size cardboard cutout.

His 2-year-old daughter, Kadence Hewett, had a tea party with the cutout at her grandmother's house.

"At first, she was kind of scared, but then she warmed up to it right away," said Fallon Hewett, Kadence's mother. "She definitely knew it was her daddy. Smaller pictures are fine, but there's something different about seeing a life-size picture of him. She can remember how big he really is. … We'll probably pull him out when she's having those bad days."

Ginger Hewett created the life-size cutout as a gift to her granddaughter and at the request of her 24-year-old son, who was first introduced to the idea during training this summer at Fort Chaffee, Ark. The cutouts have become a growing trend among military families who desire to keep their loved ones near during deployments.

Cindy Sorenson, of Bismarck, N.D., is reportedly the first known military spouse to create a Flat Daddy.

In 2003, Sorenson ordered a life-size photo of her former husband, Capt. Dave Bruschwein, on a piece of foam board when he was deployed to Iraq with the North Dakota National Guard. She created the life-size cutout of "Flat Dave" for their daughter, Sarah, who was then 13 months old.

Elaine Dumpler, a Colorado motivational speaker, included Sorenson's concept in a book on how families can cope with deployment.

A variety of Web sites now offer these life-size cutouts. Military families since have been known to lovingly carry their Flat Daddies everywhere from day trips to the beach and park to road trips and holiday gatherings.

"Right now, our Flat Daddy of Kyle is sitting at the dinner table," Ginger Hewett said. "We even have a place setting for him. You know, if you walk by and take a quick glance it's hard to know it's not really him."

Hewett, a photographer, liked the idea so much she volunteered to create Flat Daddies for the families of 69 other A Battery soldiers. A print shop owner in Ada furthered her efforts by agreeing to produce the life-sized figures at less than cost.

The families should receive their Flat Daddies in time for Christmas.

Hewett's oldest son, Spc. Justin Hewett, returned Nov. 7 after a 12-month deployment to Iraq.

He said the cutouts are a good idea, especially for children.

"It gives them something lifelike to look at," he said.