Time to get ready for the next plane ride across the country to visit family and celebrate our older grandson’s third birthday. His baby brother is almost five months old, and I am putting the final touches on my special present to honor his arrival in the world, a cloth book. I thought I would finish it last fall when I lived in LA to help out with the birth, but there was very little “extra” time between supporting the family and wrangling the toddler. The book is made of polartec, which is soft and easy for small hands to grab, and practical for Mom (it can be tossed in the washing machine). The basic structure of the book (the pages and spine) are assembled with the sewing machine, but each of the cut outs—animals, flowers, geometric shapes, even a steaming locomotive—must be sewn on by hand. Winter evenings are perfect for this quiet work. The feel of the soft fabric on fingertips is quite soothing as I pull the thread in and out in a quick tempo. With each stitch I think of this little baby and what his life will be as he grows up in this complex world. And with each stitch I make a wish for his health, happiness, and well-being, like a fairy godmother casting a spell. I suspect grandmothers have powers, too, so every stitch wish counts.