Sewing Machine and Baby Stuff!!!

This week was a pretty exciting week!  It started last Saturday with a trip to Dubai to buy a sewing machine.  In Houston, I had a Singer that my parents bought me a few years ago, and I had planned on shipping it to Dubai in November...and after finishing the cross stitch that I'd been working on for a year, I decided I wanted a sewing machine NOW (I know, crazy, like I really need sewing projects when I'm about to have a baby) and I wanted an upgrade. #impulsive.  So my amazing and wonderful husband drove me first to Ikea to pick up some inexpensive basics (scissors, thread, pins, etc) and then all the way to Dubai to help me pick out a dual-voltage sewing machine that would take care of my sewing needs for years to come, both at home and abroad.  Plus, some of the reviews I'd read about bringing USA Singer Machines abroad were that even with a voltage converter, the change in electrical frequency would slowly kill the motor in the machine...so now I'll just be spoiled when I move home with two different sewing machines for all my projects.  One for sewing and one for quilting maybe?  Who knows!

I finished this cross stitch for one of my besties (who also happens to be named Kim...so she is Kim 1 and I am Kim 2) in Houston who has a similar motif tattooed on her wrist.  Just need to press, mat, frame, and ship it to her!  Sorry Kim 1 - I probably won't get to that part until Christmastime. Xoxox!

Basically, if you want to buy a higher-end sewing machine (i.e. >$150), there are only two stores in Dubai.  Classic Quilting sells Bernina, and Craftland sells Brother, Janome, Singer, and Pfaff. Bernina's start at like $1,200, and my sewing skills aren't QUITE there yet.   I decided on a Brother Innovis F420, which unfortunately, Craftland didn't have in stock that day -- I was so bummed!  I was ready for a new project RIGHT NOW!  Luckily the Craftland girls are super nice and they offered to deliver it to me in Abu Dhabi once the machine came in.  2 days later, it was on my dining room table!  Like a good little engineer, I spent the evening reading the instruction manual.

Hello Beautiful!

Fortunately (or unfortunately?) my beautiful new sewing machine is still in the box because we learned that our baby shipment had cleared customs and would be delivered the next day!!!  Sewing projects would have to wait, because our apartment was about to look like the baby section of Target threw up all over it.  We went from having minimalist "baby stuff" tucked into a hospital bag to having everything all at once, including some pretty nifty swag!

First, the free stuff - The Amazon Registry Giftbox was awesome!!!  It had a bunch of diaper and wipe samples, a full package of wipes, a super soft swaddle blanket, breast pads, and a bottle.

In addition to the registry giftbox, Amazon gave us $100 to spend on diapers and wipes!  Since we plan on cloth diapering, we mostly purchased wipes and diaper liners, along with some cotton prefolds to use as rags.

We have said many times how thankful we are for our wonderful friends back home in the USA - and the arrival of the shipment was another reminder of their love and support.  In response to the virtual baby shower our friends threw us last month, I have taken pictures of all the goodies that showed up in our shipment, and who they are from - again THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!  We love you all and we can't wait to introduce you to Baby Linh!

From Alaina, an adorable elephant baby towel, a beautiful ring-sling carrier, and a travel bassinet!  The towel is so soft and sweet, the ring sling will get tons of use, and the bassinet will be awesome for our trip to Vietnam in January! Extra thanks to Alaina for planning our virtual baby shower!!!

From Kathleen - Our Baby's First Year record book so we can document all her milestones!  It also goes with the general astronaut and outer space theme that we'll be using for Linh's nursery in Dubai.

From Bette - this super practical collapsible bathtub (a must in our limited-space apartment!) plus a swim diaper.  We met some other new parents at the pool here in Abu Dhabi, and they had their little in the pool starting at 6-weeks...we think we will try to do the same!!!

From Brad - a pile of Gerber Onesies (in various sizes!) and some super soft muslin swaddles.  Linh will not have to worry about being too hot or too cold because she'll have lots of layering options! Plus I think there will be some sewing projects for those lovely little blank canvas onesies...

From Gay - a pair of luxuriously soft sleep sacks and some very absorbent-looking drool bibs.  Linh will be drooling in style!!

From Fugy - a set of Burt's Bees Onesies.  I just love the fun little bumble bee patters on these!  Gabe made a joke about Burt's Bees totally selling out since these are clearly not made of beeswax, but who cares, they're so cute!

From Abbie - one of our most practical gifts, all of the Kiinde supplies I'll need for breastfeeding for when I go back to work.  I'm not especially looking forward to trying to juggle work and pumping, but I am excited to use the Kiinde system!

From Amity - a soft stretchy nursing cover/infinity scarf, adorable little socks, and breast pumping accessories to help mama keep baby full!

From Brenda - Also super practical diaper genie with liner refills!  Whether we're using disposables or cloth, this will be great for containing those smelly blow-outs!

From my college roommate and bestie Jennie, a pile of newborn diapers and swaddlers to keep Linh snug and dry in her first days at home (will also be helpful as we figure out cloth diapering!)

From Kim 1 - I told her she went a little overboard :-)  Linh will be super stylish, thanks to Aunt Kimmie!!!

From Mery - Not just space-themed onesies, swaddle pods, and burp cloths, but tons and tons of great advice for how to navigate our workplace policies for maternity leave while living overseas!!!

From Kathy R - This super stylish diaper backpack so that G, aka Mr. Mom can be the hip and cool baby-toting dad!  It has a gazillion pockets and we love it!!!  Both G and I have different shoulder injuries, so a backpack is also a way more practical solution than single-shoulder diaper bags.

From Kathy K - An airplane carseat bag!  I didn't even know that these existed, and I'm so glad they do!  It will protect Linh's carseat when we travel, and this baby girl is going to be a world-traveller so it will get lots of use!

From Mom (soon to be Gran) - a super cute handmade dress & bloomers (top) and beautiful airy gown (bottom).  We can't wait to dress Linh up in these!

Also from Mom and Dad  - This gorgeous co-sleeper, so Linh can sleep close to me at night and still be safely in her own space.  Also doubles as a pack and play once she's too big for the bassinet portion!

From our wonderful neighbors on Brinkman St - Lisa, Martin, Courtney, JC, Ana, Neil, Alison & the girls, Lou, and Brian, our Chicco Keyfit Carseat!  It is now fully installed and ready to keep our new little one safe.  We love how easily the base snapped into the car, and how easily the seat snaps into the base!

Also from our sweet neighbor Courtney, adorable little clothes and sweet little books!

From Jamie - a funny book (that Linh will probably only hear in her first few months!), a cute lovey blanket, and a good reminder of where Linh's baba mamma comes from!

From Auntie Danielle and Uncle Jonny - Icelandic slippers....which I'm not sure when baby will wear in the dessert, but they are very cute. :-)

Also from Auntie Danielle and Uncle Jonny - Safety First!  Our awesome Baby Jogger City Mini GT.  The canopy is off since it has the car-seat adapter in, and the stroller is super easy to fold up and stow away.

Seriously friends and family, our cup overfloweth.  I know there are more gifts friends have told me were sent, my father is bringing some of them next month, and some of them are going into our shipment in September (or as G's sister Sarah says..."offerings to the Goddess, Linh!") - We truly cannot thank you enough, we have so much gratitude for all of you from the bottom of ours hearts And OMG tiny baby things are so freakin' cute!!!

XOXOXOXOXOX

Kim & Gabe