Saturday, February 11, 2012

Creating a Mimi-Me: Changing the World One Sewing Machine at a Time!

I basically understand how genetics work.  I understand how traits are passed down from generation to generation.  I also love the theory of nature versus nurture.  I love watching my own children physically change along side their personalities.  My kids are not mini-mes of me.  Mimi is tall, slender, small boned, with straight hair.  Violet (currently) has straight blond hair which used to be curly, is tall, and  is built more like me - meaning we are a built more like German peasants.  Violet, like her mom, will be a fantastic kick boxer someday.   Given that they do have some rights to privacy, I am not going to divulge all the secrets to their personality, but Mimi is a heck of a lot like her mom.  She has inherited personality traits from me that are just plain spooky!

Violet when she still had curly hair!
Mimi hanging out with the tulips!

When I started sewing, my girls were really excited, particularly Mimi.  They still really enjoy watching me sew and really want me to sew them their pillowcase dresses.  Mimi, my crafty girl, wants to learn how to sew.  Her career aspirations are to work with me forever making pillows.  Well, if we are going to make this a true family business then I guess I need to teach Mimi how to sew.  Mimi is five and I had been thinking that sometime next year would be a good time to teach her some of the sewing basics.  Yesterday, I got the perfect gift and perfect bargain, for a perfectly wonderful future six year old.  (Her birthday is in November so this gift will be hiding in my closet for a long time!)

Pretty much everyone who knows me knows I love a good bargain.  Not only do I love a good bargain, I am really good at finding good bargains.  Since last year's famous trip to Boston, I had been coveting the Mad Men line of dresses and Banana Republic.  With my laid off status, there was no way I was spending $150 on a dress.  But, I waited and I waited and I now have two of them and spent a total of $33 on both.  715 Awesome Shopping Deals, anyone?  Back to the point of this post; Mimi and sewing.  Earlier this week, my mom gave me a $5 coupon to Kohls and I also had a 15% off coupon.  I needed a couple things so I packed up the girls on Friday to do a little shopping.

Good behavior at a store is always rewarded with trip to the toy department, not to buy, but to look.  Yes, I am a mean mom.  While "looking" I found a shelf with toys marked 60% off.  Then my eyes met a glorious box that screamed, "Figure out a way to buy me without Mimi seeing me."  That's right, I found a small sewing machine for ages 6 and up.  It was originally $40 marked down to about $11 and I got it for $7.  Holy smokes!!!!  She is going to be one excited six year old.  It is small for small hands, it is portable, and it actually sews.  How cool is that?!!?!?!  I got a hand held basket, placed the sewing machine in, and stuffed coats on top.  When it was time to pay, the girls were send over to the Kohls Cares for Kids display.  Success!  Mimi never saw the machine!

Every so often, I get gift giving right.  I think this is one of those moments. 
Mimi and I are similar and different in many ways.  I would never expect her to like everything I like.  She is much more of a girly girl than I every have been.  I like to get dirty and play in mud.  Mimi prefers to be clean.  No problem.  But, we both want to learn how to sew.  We can share this desire to learn with each other, and with my mom because as I have said before, she is a sewing guru.  Even if Mimi does not become a life long sewer seamstress, sewing will help her learn many skills such as: math, measuring, exactness, creativity, and how to hang out with mom.

2 comments:

  1. I love it!

    I really want to know how you ended up with two straig haired kids...almost as creepy ase ending up with six blonde kids, and only one with brown eyes...so much for brown being dominant.

    Matt and I are both curly, but not as curly as you are, and out of our kids we have two very curly, two wavy and two stick straight.

    Kids are fun!

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  2. Neither of my parents have curly hair and neither one is left handed. I am definitely the odd ball in my family. I am excited for the summer to see if Vi's hair curls up again. Vi's eyes are brown like Kevin's eyes. Mimi has blue and I have greenish hazel. Vi appears to be a lefty but will sometimes use her right. So interesting.

    You have a very fun genetic study with all six of them. Especially the twins - one curly, one straight and semi-hair-challenged, kind of like Violet.

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