Baby's First Christmas, and I'm learning to sew

Jordan and I (well, honestly it's been mostly me) have been busy playing Santa for the first time. Here's the current Christmas list of what Santa is bringing Suzi so far:








Gloworm doll
Betty Butterfly rocking toy
2 maracas from Babystyle
Flori toy from Babystyle
Photo mobile
Downtime sleepy hat (sooo cute)

This is only what we've bought so far and doesn't include whatever the Grandsantas may get for her. The worst part is, we haven't even made it to Thanksgiving yet. I have several more toys on hold at Jennie G's and Black Friday isn't for another 2 days! Somebody needs to lock up my Mastercard and throw away the key! The kid's favorite activity is chewing on dishcloths, plastic links, and her own toes, so she doesn't even care much about toys. I never meant to turn her into a material girl, but there are just too many cute things out there to buy! I blame this on the fact that I work in Jennie G's and every day must pass by dozens of irresistible high-quality baby items. Not only that, but I like to stay abreast of the changing baby trends, so I read four or five different mommy blogs where I often find new things for Jennie G's (and for Suzi).

To combat my fierce desire to buy things, I decided to put my psychology degree to a little use and redirect myself. I buy new things because I'm bored and want something new and exciting. I also find that I'm drawn to bright colors, and one mustn't underestimate the effect colors can have on mood. So I decided to take up a new hobby, which my mom is helping me with: sewing. It's perfect, because the fabric comes in any color you could want, and my mom has a big stash of fabric that she lets me raid for free! I already have a sewing machine which is brand new (because in the 8 or 9 years I've had it it's almost never been used), so this is turning out to be a very affordable venture indeed. I've had a good time hanging out with my mom too! I'm about halfway done making a quilt for Suzi and I made her a lovey to match it the other day. I'm also making her a tutu, which doesn't really require any sewing but does require pretty colors. I recommend sewing/quilting as a hobby because when you finish a project you feel a sense of accomplishment rather than a sense of I-can't-believe-I-spent-my-whole-paycheck. I'll be sewing a lot of people things for Christmas. They may not be (um, probably won't be) perfect, but the more practice I get the closer I'll get to achieving that domestic goddess status I've been longing for these past three years. Now I just need to learn how to cook.