Lecture #1

Dear Baby,

While I hoped I'd be writing the story of your birth by now or that, at a minimum, you'd be on your way out today, you're already refusing to listen to your mother and have decided to take your precious time in vacating my uterus.

Don't get me wrong, thus far it's been pretty darn easy carrying you around and I've actually enjoyed the freak-like nature of of my belly as little knees and feet poke out, but the doctor insists that unless you make an appearance soon, she's going to forcefully evict you and, honestly, that's no fun for either of us. So get the hell out. Seriously.

Your nursery is finally done and I must say, it's pretty bad ass. The star wars bedding is complete, your dad's vision of the perfect mobile is in place, even the little finishing touches are ready for your arrival.

While I'm not crazy about you being born on a day dubbed the 'stoner holiday' I'm quite certain I'll learn to live with it. After all, I did marry your father who plays the drums in a band for a living and travels around the country in a stinky bus and that didn't work out so badly. So what do you think? Tomorrow sound like a good day to be born? I sure hope so.

Can't wait to meet you little guy.

Love,
Your Mama

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year...

My plan to make all of the gifts for my holiday gift exchanges was well intentioned and realistic... were it not for all of the other things that come along with the holidays.

It's the appetizer making, cookie baking, cocktail party attending, concert going and, of course, shopping, that seemed to get in the way of the thing I needed to be doing: sewing.

Thankfully I managed to find some time over the weekend and, as I slaved away in my craft room, I couldn't help but think about the holidays - how we all look forward to them, how we welcome the break from the routine. But, it seems that we all overextend ourselves during this time - making sure our decorations are just right, we have the perfect present for everyone on our list, and that we attend all of the various events to which we're invited. By the time January rolls around, we're frazzled from travel, exhausted from over-booked schedules and bloated from a season of holiday-variety gluttony. We return to our routines in dire need of another holiday.

Yet we do it every year. In my family's case, in addition to all of the rest of the usual, the holidays mean putting up the totally tacky, totally overdone light display, pulling out handmade stockings, cooking a huge Polish meal for Christmas Eve, and spending lots of time with friends and family. And, truth be told, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Some of my fondest memories are of the holiday season and, as time so often has the funny propensity to do, when I think of all of those memories, it's only the good stuff that sticks in my mind. I forget how I spent 8 hours in the kitchen - working until my back cramped and feet ached - preparing homemade pierogies, kluski, chruschici - but vividly remember sitting around the table on Christmas Eve recouting the year, enjoying good wine and food, and enjoying each other's company.


I know that when I think back on this year, I won't remember the stress I felt while sitting at my sewing machine all day, cursing every upcoming holiday gift exchange but I will think back upon how much people enjoyed their gifts - how my girlfriends, in true white-elephant fashion, fought over the sushi print apron or how I created the most adorable present for my secret santa.

Although each year I promise I won't do as much, in the end, I know I will. Because, ultimately, it is the most wonderful time of the year.

The Joy of Simplicity

Last weekend I went 'home' for a bridal shower for one of my high school friends. It's funny how, no matter how long I've been gone, or the fact that I've lived away almost as many years as I lived there, there's something in me that thinks of Ft. Lauderdale as home. It was great to see my family and to catch up with friends who have, like me, scattered throughout the country. It's always great to be around those people who know you the best - the people with whom you can be yourself and with whom you can laugh about your feathered hair, bad judgment in boyfriends or simply memories of times that feel like forever ago.

For what was probably the first time in my life, I decided I was going to be prepared for this shower. A few weeks before the shower I logged on to Wedding Channel. I had my plan: order the gift, have it shipped to my parents' house in Ft. Lauderdale and take it to the shower. Easy right?

Not so fast. No registries under her name on Wedding Channel. So I searched everywhere else. Target? No. Linens N Things? Nothing. Bed Bath & Beyond? Nada.

Turns out my friend - being the great person she is - hasn't registered intentionally. She'd rather people spend their money on coming to her wedding - to be there to celebrate with her and her new husband, rather than on some trinket that will sit in their kitchen.

That's fine. I'm creative - I can make her a gift, I decided. After giving it some thought I decided on the perfect gift: Sublime Stitching embroidered kitchen towels. For bonus points I'd work their names and wedding date into the design.

Naturally, in true Robin fashion, two days before the shower, I hadn't even started the gift. But, determined to finish a handmade gift before the shower, I called an audible. I threw some of my favorite fabric in my bag and thanked the lord baby Jesus that my mom has the same sewing machine as I do.

A few months ago I bought Amy Karol's book. Much like Amy Butler's book, it took me a while to break down and buy it and, I'm almost embarrassed to admit why. While I know that Project Runway may not be the next entry on my sewing resume, I do know my way around a sewing machine and I worried that the book might be too elementary for me - that the projects would be boring, things for which I don't need instructions or patterns.

But, in a fit of boredom one afternoon, I broke down. And, I'm glad I did. The projects are pretty simple but they're so darn fun.

Sometimes it's better to not have to think - to be able to have the measuring and experimenting done for you. To be able to just pick up something and do it - instead of having to figure out how to do it, scratching your head at each step along the way. This weekend was one of those times. Within 2 hours - start to finish - I had an adorable apron and, complements of Denyse Schmidt's instruction in her equally great book, a matching oven mitt. A perfect gift for a dear friend in record time.

Now if only I could find a way to get the bride to cook...