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Happy Mother's Day, Here's an Apron

Ryan and Zane gave me an apron for Mother's Day. (They also gave me a panini press, but it's the apron that's important.) Before every self-empowered woman who reads this blog hits the "Unfollow" button, the apron was my idea. I sent this email back in April:

If you and Zane were looking for something for Mother's Day: The Chloe - Canary Yellow Birdseed

Isn't it perfect?


It is perfect. I absolutely LOVE it. I want six more so I'll have one for every day of the week. First, it is the most feminine thing I own except for my wedding dress, and that wasn't all that frilly. And there is nothing wrong with enjoying being a GIRL, 'cause I am one. I embrace the contradiction of wanting to be a feminist but being totally into archetypal feminine stuff. (Yay for aprons and breastfeeding rooms. Boo for unequal pay and treatment.) Kristen over at Jezebel discusses it: Can Feminists Wear Aprons? (This is the article that lead me to the Etsy seller who makes the mostest wonderfulest aprons ever.)

Side bar: Do you know about Etsy? I've mentioned it before. You really need to start wandering around the site. The most wonderful things in the world come from Etsy. Every gift I've gotten from it has immediately become a favorite. The purse my dad got me for my birthday, the "Squeee" necklace Ryan found me for Christmas, and now this delightful apron. Etsy, it's where the magic comes from.

Back to the apron: for some reason the canaries remind me of my grandmother's kitchen. Not her actual kitchen, more of a metaphorical kitchen where my grandmother is cooking her infamous macaroni and cheese or some concoction from her well worn copy of Joy of Cooking. I don't know why the silly yellow canaries remind me of her, but they do.

Third, it keeps food off my clothes.

Novel idea I know, aprons keep your clothing clean, but a freaking breakthrough for me. Zane has always been an enthusiastic eater who doesn't care if his clothes, fingers, hair are sticky or slimy or gritty. Since we introduced him to tablewear, his mealtimes have gotten down right explosive. I'm sure you remember how well a fork works as a catapult, but have you ever tried it with a plate? You can really get some air on those peas using a plate.

No matter how much I wipe him down before picking him up there is always something I miss and that something ALWAYS ends up on my clothes. Now I tie on the apron, and it doesn't matter if I'm dressed for work or if I'm wearing my favorite shirt; the apron is insurance that I won't have to relegate another piece of clothing to the yard/house work pile.

This fantastic little frock has cut back on the amount of laundry I have to do, saved my clothing from three meals already, and is super cute. I'd say that was a heck of a Mother's Day gift.

Win win.

A Weekend in Review