Since you haven't purchased yet, you may want to look at the other brands also. IMHO the two best entry level DSLR's are the Canon T2i and the Pentax Kx. The Canon is a little more pricey and if you want image stabilization you will have to purchase that type of lens which costs more. The Pentax Kx has in-body stabilization and is one of the best high ISO cameras. The price is very reasonable. Pentax also produces some of the best kit lenses. For a beginner I would recommend the 18-55 and 55-300 kit. That gives you a great range and good optics. I shoot Pentax but I don't own a Kx, but there are others here who have it and the the Canon who can give you their opinions. I wouldn't limit myself at this point. You need to handle the cameras for the ergonomics because that is very important. Good luck with your purchase.
I am a K-x user and I have to say that it really is amazing for the price! It even has better specs than some more expensive models from other brands. It does not have the 18MP of the T2i, but believe me the 12MP is way more than enough for an amateur user. I was happy with the 6MP of my old K100d. So, unless you plan on shooting for poster size prints all the time, don't let more MPs sway you.
Some of the specs that are really impressive are the in body IS, the fastest burst rate in its class, best control of noise for a JPG in its class, ISO 12800 (don't think D5000 has it), fastest max shutter in the class, more flash option like rear curtain and wireless, slightly better viewfinder than the D5000, and last but not least are kit lenses with arguably the best build quality of any kit. To be fair, here are some of the things it does not lead in: MPs, LCD screen size (2.7" vs. 3"), HD video mode (1080p on T2i vs. 720p on D5000 and K-x), and less metering zones than T2i (have not had any exposure problems though). Also to be fair, the high ISO performance on the D5000, T1i, T2i, and K-x are all impressive. When shooting RAW, it would be almost impossible to tell any difference between any of them. Also, the K-x uses AAs instead of proprietary rechargeables so you are open to many different battery sources. Sanyo Eneloops are great rechargeable AAs. If you see a hybrid Duracell rechargeable with a white top, it is a re-branded Eneloop.
One last thing. The K-x comes in a variety of colors to chose from. I got a red one, but there is also black, white, navy, green, blue, orange, and purple. The last four are only available direct from Pentax, so they are full retail instead of the cheaper street price found at places like B&H and Adorama.
Good luck choosing a camera. I am sure you will be happy with any of them as they are all a huge step above a p&s.
