Babbly stuff

[selenay]

Yesterday I had to work and it was nasty. Today, thankfully, I have another day off. I am supposed to be going to the hospital this afternoon and I am currently looking out of the window and really wishing that I could just stay home. Blergh.

However, I have to go out because I need wrapping paper! I want gender-neutral new baby paper because the baby has yet to be birthed, but there probably won't be such a thing so I'll be settling for some reasonably neutral unpatterned coloured paper. Hmph.

The cardigan that I have been knitting for my hairdresser's baby is almost done. I've just got to sew up the side scenes and add some buttons. This project has taught me that I hate making buttonholes only marginally more than I hate using circular needles, although most of the project has been fun. My sewing skills are rather...er...non-existent, so I'm being very careful and sewing very slowly. Seems to be looking OK so far. I will attempt to post pictures tomorrow.

And now I should eat something before I traipse up to the hospital. The good news is that it's at least six weeks before I have to go back after this appointment!

Comments

[evil_plotbunny]

Do you not have gender neutral wrapping paper over there? Here most of the paper is neutral (mostly because we have a tradition of baby showers before the baby is born).

[selenay]

We tend to have more of a tradition of presents after the birth rather than before, so there is very little gender neutral wrapping paper around. In fact, there is very little gender neutral wrapping paper around no matter what the age, which is just plain daft! I suspect that it's why my sister uses brown paper and pretty ribbons most of the time - looks incredibly stylish and always appropriate!

I ended up getting some stripy blue-red paper because it was the least obnoxious paper that didn't state "Happy Birthday!!" in big bold print. The baby stuff was definitely for boys or girls (not one didn't say "Congratulations on your new baby boy/girl" in pastel blue or pink) and the rest of the stuff was either pastel blue/pink, garish with birthday messages or decorated with Barbies.

The cards were equally problematic for the gender neutral thing but I did manage to find a nice funny one that isn't really a new baby card but does make a joke about children. So that's sorted.

It does make me a little mad that there is such a strong gender stereotyping thing going on so early. Even if I knew the baby's sex, I'm damn sure that I wouldn't want to wrap presents in such strongly stereotyped paper. Grrr.

[evil_plotbunny]

I know there's a lot of talk about gender stereotyping in this country, but that sounds worse. We do get the Barbies/Super heroes divide, but there always seems to be neutral stuff and/or solid colour or striped paper available.

I think the last time I bought wrapping paper for a child, I took the geeky route and went with Star Wars. Hey, it's what I would have wanted.

[selenay]

but there always seems to be neutral stuff and/or solid colour or striped paper available.

*sigh* There was only solid colour or striped if you wanted pink or blue. Most depressing. I really had thought that things weren't that bad in this country but then I rarely have call to need wrapping paper other than Christmas stuff. Most of my friends want gift vouchers for birthdays and I can steal brown paper and ribbons ala my sister for family!

I took the geeky route and went with Star Wars

Ooh, I totally would have wanted that paper :-) Except I've never seen any here :-( And this is for the child of my hairdresser so I'm not sure whether she'd get the geek thing.

[evil_plotbunny]

I find that very strange. Here we'll have a variety of bright shades and abstract patterns meant for presents for adults.

The Star Wars paper was bought a few years ago (I don't use much wrapping paper either). I'm not sure what's available now. I just know I wouldn't be able to find Doctor Who paper. :-(

For someone like that, I'd be going neutral too.

[selenay]

It turns out that I was looking in the wrong place when I searched the cards/wrapping paper shop. Where I should have gone is the big new department store in town because they had a ton of gorgeous paper, most of it neutral and even some slightly unusual stuff like handmade paper.

Noted for the future, definitely.

I want Doctor Who paper. That's all I'm saying :-)

[evil_plotbunny]

I knew that sounded strange. But at least you know for the future.

If I'd actually seen any during my travels, I would have bought it, but I didn't. :(

[selenay]

I know for the future. In my defence, the new department store has been open for less than a fortnight and I thought that the card shop was the logical place to look for wrapping paper. In fact, two weeks ago the card shop would have been the only place within 10 miles selling wrapping paper :-) Now I know that if I need pretty much anything ever again, I need to try the new department store first before attempting any of the other shops.

I turned into such a girl in the department store. They had evening gowns! We've never had those in town before. I fell in love with a beautiful drapey thing that I couldn't afford if I saved for three years :-)

[evil_plotbunny]

I wouldn't have thought of that either. Usually I buy wrapping paper in the card aisle in the supermarket or in a card shop myself.

We're big on department stores in this country. It's almost scary. But our roads are more straightforward and having three or four in White Plains is close enough.

That reminds me that I need a dress for my cousin's bar mitzvah. I suspect I'l go out shopping on Thursday when I'm off as I don't like dealing with the weekend crowds. Given my shape, finding a dress that fits is always major torture, but with any luck the leftover Easter dresses will be on sale.