The Necessities

I've been slowly hitting the liquor cabinet today, in preparation of tonight's errand run to Babies R Us. (If you are unfamiliar with my disdain for this store, check this out.) If I were drunk, would it make it easier to tolerate the massive amounts of baby-this and baby-that? I wonder.

No worries, folks. I'm sober. Heading to the baby mega-mart this evening to return some Carter's jammies that tore after one wear and one washing and to shop off a friend's baby registry. I'm tempted to just give her a gift card. I know it's impersonal, but those were my favorite of all shower and baby gifts! That and diapers.

A recent post at one of the blogs I regularly follow got me thinking about favorite baby gifts...

My favorite gifts were:

• diapers -- Before choosing to cloth diaper, we used Pampers, and we went through them like crazy. We'd received several packs as gifts. It was so nice to have a stockpile of them!
  
  
• gift cards to Target and Babies R Us (Despite hating the store, there are still some things that you need, and that's where you have to buy 'em.) I used to think gift cards were impersonal, but they are great because new parents are always in need of SOME THING!
  
  
• embroidered/monogrammed burp cloths - I like monogrammed stuff. Love to see Greta's name on stuff. I know not everyone is all frilly like that, but regardless -- it's fun to have a jazzed up every-day item.
  
  
• books - I love to read. And I love to read to Greta. Children need to be read to. I don't think you can have enough books. If you get duplicates, keep one upstairs and one downstairs.
  
  
• steaks - Some friends gave us a gift card to Omaha Steaks. His girlfriend was appalled. We were so appreciative, though! We ordered a couple cases of filet mignons, and it's been a treat. We don't always have the time to go out for a nice dinner, and it's so nice to just be able to thaw out some steaks, grill 'em, and have a nice meal.
  

And, with the risk of sounding ungrateful, which I don't mean to be... Things I could have done without:

• baby bath robe -- Okay, fine. You think you're going to put your kid in a robe his/her bath, great. For us, that just wasn't gonna happen. Bath time is a friggin' CHORE, folks. By the time it's over, you're so glad that you didn't piss off the baby too much and that you've got her clean. You will not be in the mood to throw her in a bathrobe. If you are, kudos to you.



• rubber ducks -- One is nice. Two make great bath buddies. But we have a whole flock of them. Some are dressed in princess gear, and another is wearing a Hawaiian lei. Some are still in the packaging. Perhaps I should make one of those pick-a-duck games you played at the local county fair as a child?



• socks -- The only socks I will spend my money on are Trumpette socks or socks from Gymboree. Trumpette socks are pricey, yes. But they are really the only socks that have stayed on Greta's feet. I'd rather spend my money on something we've used the heck out of than than something cheap that doesn't work. Cheap socks are a waste of money.
  
• any outfit made out of velvet, cashmere or any other pricey fabric -- I just had to have this holiday dress from Pottery Barn Kids. It was velvet. And dry clean only. ... She never wore it for Christmas, so I made sure she wore it on Valentine's Day. She spit up on it like five times that day.
  
  
• things YOU think are just the greatest -- Gifts are great. And I'm so grateful to our friends and family who have given Greta gifts. But just because the Evenflo bottles worked great for you, doesn't mean they'll be everyone's favorite, too. Just because the lavender-scented bath wash relaxed you, doesn't mean it won't cause hives on someone else's child. And, my all-time favorite -- if, after scrutinizing someone's baby registry and PRIOR to shopping for that person, you ask them what they need, and they've already told you that they don't need that particular item, don't buy it for them just because it worked for your kid (who is now 13) when she was a baby. Maybe they already have that item. Or maybe they don't want that item. Some people don't want lots of baby clutter decorating their house.
  
  
• baby blankets - I have enough blankets for Octomom's entire brood. Granted, I was the stupid one who over-registered for all these. I didn't realize I wouldn't need 50 receiving blankets and 15 stroller blankets. Turns out, my favorite blankets are my blankets from when I was little (they're so soft and broken in!) and then one a friend made me just because it's in a funky pattern and is unique.

Let me note... You could have told me all of this 8+ months ago and I wouldn't have heeded the advice. I think it's every mom's rite of passage, so to speak, to go a little willy nilly with buying her baby new things - regardless if those things are impractical or useless. How else do you learn?

Random Daily Observations

If you feed your baby canned beef meat, and it smells like dog food BEFORE consumption, it will still smell like dog food after it's burped up and on your shirt.

If you're going to have your naked baby on carpeted floor, be prepared for a potty accident.

Andrea, are you f-in' stupid? Yep, I'm sure that's what you're thinking as you're reading this. Because, if I were reading your blog, I'm sure I'd be thinking something similar. I'm going to blame the stupidity on the sleep deprivation of last week. Yep, er, that's my excuse.

Greta's got a bit of diaper rash, so we've been having naked time for a few moments each day, as air is supposedly the best remedy for diaper rash. I usually set Greta on a few blankets and towels in case she pees while naked. That hasn't been so efficient the past few instances of airing-out-the-baby-booty. For one, Greta is moving like a worm and quickly moves herself off the "potty mat" and onto the carpet. Two, I guess I've been silly to underestimate the amount of bodily fluids that can come out of a little baby -- because apparently, a towel and a couple blankets aren't enough layers to keep the pee from getting to the carpet. Just a few moments ago, I heard Greta grunting, her familiar sounds indicating she's pooping. Or thinking about it. And there popped out poop, onto the blanket.

For the record, Eric, there's no poop on the carpet, and I'm going to soak up the pee and clean the carpet so it's good as new.

Just as soon as I'm done tinkering on Facebook.

In Case You Cared...

Tomorrow is National Pancake Day! Go to IHOP on Tuesday, February 24 and get yourself a short stack for FREE!

Free Photos @ Walgreens

I love me a good deal!

Good, for today only, get 20 free photo prints when ordering online at Walgreens. When checking out, just enter the coupon code: ONEDAY .

Let's Have a Little Talk

Dear Greta,

This letter will not be sweet and flowery like many of my others. I'm keeping this short and sweet.

The multiple middle of the night awakenings? Not cool.

Please give us back the 10-hour sleep-through-the-night schedule. Name your price. I'll give you what you want.

Love,
Sleepy Mama

Really?

Have y'all heard about the incident at North Carolina Denny's restaurant where a customer was breastfeeding her child, and she was asked to leave because of it? http://www.wlos.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/wlos_vid_2107.shtml

I don't have much to write about this just because it's left me a bit speechless. Wow.

The Map Room

Back when I had time to kill and was out and about (translate: easier access to newspapers and magazines), I enjoyed reading St. Louis' Sauce Magazine. I loved reading about St. Louis' newest eateries and planning where I'd next dine. I now spend my time reading web sites like this and this, leaving no time for dreams of where I'll next stuff my face.

However, I received an e-mail from an old friend, announcing the opening of a new little coffee shop in town, called The Map Room. Looks cozy, don't you think?

7 Month Intoxication

Dear Greta,

As I write this, it's a rainy, chilly February day. It's the kind of day where you'd like to stay in bed all day while reading a good book with a snoozing dog at your feet. Alas, that's no longer the life of this mom-of-a-seven-month-old! While you're in your crib all snugly and napping, I'm curled up on the couch, donning my spit-up stained pjs, watching talk-show host/chef Rachael Ray interview a father whose wife died the day after giving birth to their daughter.

That dad's name is Matt Logelin. His story is a tragic one. It makes mama sad to think about it too much. But it also makes me remember that there is overwhelming joy after unbearable sadness, that there is undeniable happiness in the smallest of things. I'm crying as I watch the interview. I'm crying because it's such a sad story, and I can't fathom walking in the shoes of that mom, dad or baby girl. I'm crying, too, though because I am so very grateful as I am reminded of my blessings, of living a life I of which I've always dreamt.

I think that each month, I tell you what a beautiful month it's been and how it's been the best so far. It's true though. It just keeps getting better. The past seven months have been the most fulfilling of my life. I've watched you grow from a quiet, tiny preemie to a serene, yet bubbly, inquisitive baby. I've witnessed your first grins, heard your first giggles, soothed your cries, fed your needs and loved every moment of it.

I often note my gratitude for you, your health and your accomplishments, but I often fail to thank Daddy, the man who enables me to live this life with you. Daddy, the man who gets up early each morning and works all day -- all for me and you -- has made me realize that the gift of time is the most precious.

I covet my time with you.

I have a lot of mommy friends who say, "Oh, I could never do that. I could never stay home all day long. I'd go nuts." And while I don't judge moms who work outside of the home -- whether it be by choice or necessity -- I have to admit that I can't imagine my life any other way

While Daddy has provided me with the gift of time, you have graced me with presence, teaching me to live in the moment of here and now. I have spent many moments in my life just going through the motions, walking in fog, not truly feeling true emotion. I have both purposely and sometimes unconsciously voided events and memories in my life in attempts to bypass the risk of hurt, and I know that at the same time, I've caused myself to also miss out on other raw emotions, like joy. Not with you, though. You have opened the gates to my heart, and it's constantly flooded with the delight of YOU.

Stories like Matt Logelin's remind us that we often take things for granted. Life is too short. I know this by how fast it's been flying by. I've spent the past month playing catch-up on scrapbooking your photo albums. Because I don't want to ever forget any of this bliss. Like when you're 13 and think I am embarassing and would rather pretend to not know me. Or when you're 15 and think you know every thing and that I know nothing. I want to chronicle your life -- milestone by moment by minute. I don't want to forget. Any of it.

Like how I fell in love with you in the sixth month for all different reasons than why I'd fallen in love with you before. The raspberries during dinner and the loving to swim in the bathtub and the fascination with your feet. The way you crinkle your little button nose when you try a new vegetable and the way you devour sweet fruit with each new bite. The way you've become intrigued by your doggie Payton and the way you curiously and intently stare out the front window, soaking in the uneventful mid-afternoon nothings of our neighborhood.

You. The sweet moments with you. I am so intoxicated by these simple things.

Love,

Mama

Baby Loves Disco

I love dancing with Greta. I can't dance well, but it makes Greta giggle, and that makes me happy. St. Louis needs one of these.

The 25 Random Things Quandary

Facebook. Ahhhh. FB. I could write so many postings all related to Facebook, but right now, I'm off to bed. Or trying to get there. Thing is, FB is this big ol' nothing that sucks your time. Half an hour ago, I said, "In ten minutes, I'm going to bed." And here I am. I've got a good excuse though -- I'm working on my 25 random things list. You know, that list on Facebook that everyone and their brother wrote and sent in their "notes" section THREE WEEKS AGO? Well, I am just now jumping on the bandwagon. I didn't think I could come up with 25 things. And right now, I'm too tired to finish the list, but I've gotten to #18, and dangit, I don't want to lose my hard work, and I can't figure out how to just save it on Facebook, so I'm gonna post it here.

1. I attach my socks together with safety pins. I've done this since high school. It keeps them from getting lost from one another in the laundry and then I don't have to sort them when putting them away.
2. I love lists.
3. I'm pretty obsessed with teeth but don't wear my retainer like I should. If I had extra cash lying around, I'd have braces put back on. ... I find it extremely repulsive when people pick their teeth after eating.
4. My least favorite thing about breastfeeding is that I can't have my teeth professionally whitened.
5. I never planned on breastfeeding my baby but after she didn't respond well to formula while in the NICU, I figured it was the least I could do. I'm glad I decided to breastfeed. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made.
6. I have a hard time sitting still to focus on anything. That's been the hardest thing about breastfeeding for me - forcing yourself to sit down and live in that moment. It's a good lesson for me, though.
7. I wish tanning didn't cause skin cancer. Sleeping in a tanning bed is the best nap I've ever had. I cancelled my membership to The Tan Co. a couple months ago since I hadn't tanned in over a year and decided the responsible thing to do would be to ... not tan.
8. I love the mashed potatoes that you get in hospital cafeterias.
9. I tend to overcook things when cooking. My husband says that he is amazed how each time I cook, it's like the first time I've ever done it.
10. I love cupcakes. Love decorating them -- and cakes, too.
11. My passion is writing. That's what I did straight out of college. I wish I could find another job writing.
12. I enjoy a good deal. More than anything, I love buying stuff that is on sale and using coupons. I don't go to the grocery store or Target without saving at least $20 using coupons.
13. I can't sing but wish I could. Because I love karaoke. IF NO ONE ELSE IS PRESENT TO HEAR ME.
14. I'm terrible about keeping my checkbook balanced but not as bad as I used to be.
15. I love reading Web sites about frugal living.
16. As much as I'd like to deny it, I am so my mother's daughter. (See #s 12 and 15.)
17. My favorite books to read as a child were the Ramona Quimby books by Beverly Cleary. I also liked Adventures in Babysitting. Sweet Valley High books were good, too!
18. I never liked the New Kids on the Block. I liked Tiffany and Debbie Gibson. I now like Michael Buble, Alan Jackcon, Taylor Swift, Frank Sinatra, Martina McBride, Jeb Lloyd Nichols, Ben Harper and some others.

Safety Recalls

A couple months ago, I signed up to receive e-mail updates on any recalls related to children's toys, clothing, etc. Thankfully, I've never owned any of the items recalled, but it's given me a little peace of mind knowing the info is out there. If you'd like to sign up for e-mail updates, too, here's the link: http://www.cpsc.gov/.

Because I Like This

I subscribe to the blog, Simple Marriage, and while skimming through today's e-mail feed, I read this and really liked it.

THE POWER OF ONE

GOD GRANT ME THE SERENITY TO ACCEPT THE PEOPLE I CANNOT CHANGE

THE COURAGE TO CHANGE THE ONE I CAN

AND THE WISDOM TO KNOW

–THAT ONE IS ME.

I've got all these new year's resolutions and goals that I've been working on, and I am proud to say that I've really been working at the core of things, starting with myself. I think that's why I liked this little twist to the all-time classic Serenity Prayer.

Yum!

I just entered an online contest, and to enter, I had to say what I liked to cook for my family. My favorite all-time recipe is this: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Savory-Chicken-Breasts/Detail.aspx. It is soooo easy.

Not sure if there's anyone out there reading my blog anymore, but if there is, what's your favorite thing to make for your family?

Good Morning!

Greta's been smiling for some time now, but just recently, she's really started laughing. As I walked into her room this morning to get her from her crib, I could hear her usual sounds of cooing and thumping her legs on her crib mattress. As soon as she saw me this morning, she generously let out a big ol' belly laugh.

Sometimes, she's so serious. Last night, Eric came home and greeted her with a bunch of hellos, and she just stared at him blankly. She's quite particular with the smiles she doles out. If you're not amusing her, she doesn't waste her grins. If I want to get her to smile, one sure thing is to kiss her cheeks and wiggle my nose into her neck rolls. Gets her going every time!

Bottoming Out @ Babies R Us

I went to Babies R Us this afternoon.

I hate that store.

Prior to having a child, I absolutely despised BRU. I'd visit the place a few times a year to purchase gifts from baby friends' baby registries, and that was a nightmare. All the STUFF. Stuff I didn't know what to do with or what it was for. Anyone who has ever shopped at the store knows the anxiety I'm talking about -- print someone's 11-page baby registry list, locate a few items in your price range, and then do your best at navigating the baby megalomart to locate the gift. Better treat yourself to a few margaritas at the local Chevy's beforehand, lest you'd prefer to stab yourself in the eye from the pain of such a scavenger hunt.

Now that I have a better understanding of all the STUFF in the store, the anxiety has calmed just a bit. I can now focus a little better and don't feel so consumed by the monstrosity of the task at hand, of the store, of the selections. Yet, still, I remember at least two times during today's shopping trip where I paused for a moment and felt the need for a cigarette. I'm not kidding. And I don't even smoke.

Does anyone else absolutely hate shopping at BRU? I dread it. But, today I figured, what the heck -- I was out and about for my yearly ob/gyn visit, and you might as well get all the shitty tasks off the things-to-do list all at once, right?

I must preface this with noting that I enjoyed the well-woman exam much more than the shopping trip. Yes, enjoy was what I said. Because THAT is how much I hate shopping at BRU. I'd rather have my girl parts poked and prodded than patronize the monopoly-of-a-store that seems to only employ childless 16 year-olds who insist that they know what they're talking about when it comes to what children need.

Because I am not particularly fond of BRU, I try to limit my shopping excursions there. I keep a running list of things we need to buy there, you know -- baby things. Things that you could buy at Target or online but things that are just easier to buy at BRU because they offer more of a selection.

Today, I braved the frigid four-degree temperature, and headed to the local BRU with my accumulated list of baby needs. White long-sleeved onesies. Rice cereal. Baby food. Sippy cups. Pretty basic, or so I thought. $175+ and two hours later, I walked out with:

• white Carter's long-sleeved onesies (Whether the brand be Carter's or Gerber, I absolutely love love love white onesies. I wish I would have known this a year ago because I could have saved so much moolah and not have bought so many fancy schmancy shirts.)


• Carter's short-sleeved onesies (I couldn't pass up the pale blue and red cherry pattern!)


• Gerber baby food (This is where my mind started to boggle. There's baby food in jars. There's baby food in plastic containers. There's stage 1, stage 2, stage 3... Peaches, pears, prunes. Carrots, peas, green beans. Ham in ham gravy, turkey and sweet potato dinner, chicken noodle dinner. TOO MANY CHOICES. I had no clue what to buy. All I could think of was all the cute little craft projects I wanted to make with the jars when we were done with the food).


• Gerber rice cereal


• Dapple baby toy wipes (Even though we don't leave the house often, I thought that when we do, these would be great to keep in the diaper bag for when toys get thrown on the ground.)


• Gerber sippy cups (At our last appointment, our pediatrician suggested we start having Greta practice drinking water out of a sippy cup. I dread the mess that will soon ensue.)
  
• Boon divided plates (This was an ORDEAL -- finding plates with divided sections, especially if you wanted plates minus splatterings of Elmo, Barbie and other obnoxious characters.)
  
• bibs (Although we already have a decent assortment, I've fallen in love with the Bumkins brand of waterproof bibs. They wash up so nicely.)
  
• Top 100 Baby Purees (Because apparently I think I have tons of free time and should enlist in making homemade baby food? Hell, after all the cash I dropped on jarred baby food today, I'll give anything a try once!)
  
• two new Swaddle-Mes (My friend, Cara, lent me her daughters', and they have been a true Godsend. Greta can't sleep without them. But now that she is growing, she's starting to bust out of the small size.)
  
• miscellaneous toys (Despite my best efforts to keep the toy explosion to a minimum, I felt the need to purchase some new little sound-making, brightly-colored doo-dads to entertain Greta. We think she's starting to teeth, so I got her toys that were chew-safe. Wait, that's dog-talk. I should rephrase that: I chose toys that are appropriate for teething babies. Sound better?)
  
• a cloth book (As I type this, I'm too tired to remember which Roger Priddy book it was that I purchased.)

I just realized that perhaps it's a bit obnoxious or mundane to list my purchases, but I just spent too much time hyperlinking the products to go erasing my hard work. ;-) The main reason I included the links, though, is because I've got a few friends who are expecting or are new moms, and I know when I was on the hunt for products, I was constantly hounding my friends for their thoughts on must-haves. I'm not saying these items are all necessities, but I just thought I'd throw in my two cents on some baby products...

I think BRU overwhelms me because of all the choices it offers. And everything is displayed right BAM! in your face, so you're not sure if you need Dr. Brown's bottles or Avent or Born Free. The clothing situation is horrendous because IT'S JUST TOO MUCH. I imagine that the way I feel when shopping at BRU is similar to a man shopping at Walgreens, trying to pick out sanitary products for his girlfriend.

When exiting the store today, I realized that when I entered the store it was still daylight, and it was now dark. That's too much time spent in a place I feel sucks the air out of me.

Feeling happy...

because the new season of 24 starts this evening and American Idol begins this week as well. I never was a huge TV junkie, but with not leaving the house very often in recent, TV is my friend.

Growing Greta

I took Greta in for her RSV injection this evening, and she weighed in at 14 pounds, 9 ounces! We see the pediatrician Monday for Greta's six-month appointment. Am I bad for secretly wondering what I can do in three short days to beef her up to 15 pounds?

Yoga Mama

I recently signed up for a yoga class at our local rec center. My main goal for 2009 is to get healthy, so I thought a yoga class fell right in line with that. A little stretching, meditation, mindful movement -- how hard can it be? The instructor kept saying that yoga shouldn't hurt. But can I just say that I am sore today?! THAT is how out of shape I am -- I'm sore from basic stretching. Sad.

Whole

Dear Greta,

Happy half birthday to you! You're now six months old, and some times I feel like it was just yesterday that I first met you, and then some times I feel like I've known your little old soul forever.

Today marks six months since I met you for the first time. It was the day after you were born, after I finally came out of the haze of the c-section drugs. Despite it being the most emotional moment of my entire life, I don't think I cried when I first saw you. I think my mouth just hung open as in, "She's mine? That little beautiful thing is mine?" It was like Christmas when you get a toy that you really really wanted, and you assumed you'd get it, but you never really believed it until you actually got it. Only this -- this -- you -- it's better than any Christmas gift I've ever received.

As I write this letter, I am slightly overwhelmed as I try to remember all your most recent little milestones. I'm kicking myself in the butt for not writing you a 5-month letter, because now, with two months passed, it's hard to recollect two month's of accomplishments. You wouldn't think THAT much has changed in such a short amount of time, but YOU! You are constantly changing!

We began feeding you rice cereal at the end of November, and since that time, you've tried peas, peaches and applesauce. For the record, YOU HATE PEAS.

You're now a little over 14 pounds, and you've got the chunk on your legs to show it. We are so proud of your chub. Goodbye skinny little legs, hello rolls.

You're a happy baby. You don't cry much. From blowing raspberries to squealing like a cat that had its tail stepped on, you're constantly surprising us with new developments. Most recently, you've started to kick your feet when you get really excited, and you like to slap your hands on your belly with glee. You like to hear yourself make noise, and your laughs are priceless. Your smiles win over my heart a thousand times a day. The way you wake up in the happiest of moods, to the extent that Daddy's started a video diary of you waking up in the morning just to capture the cheerfulness.

You've started to gain more interest in playtime, and I love watching you explore your toys with your little hands and mouth. You stare at everything in awe and wonder, constantly reminding me that the simplest of things are often the most interesting and beautiful. You remind me about a lot of things, things that adults can often easily forget. Mainly, that life is about the basics. A nap can fix everything, and a snack can cure the crankiest of moods. That, when in doubt, a little snuggling calms unresolved anxiety. Love always trumps things because a little one-on-one attention feeds the soul more than any fancy toy ever will. Thank you for reminding me.

As time goes by, this thing called motherhood gets less and less daunting. I feel like I understand you more and more each day. I've learned to read your cries and am pretty proud that I can usually tell if you're hungry or bored or tired based on the sound of your cry. I'll brag about this knack now, but, because you're a girl, I know all too well that I won't be able to predict your moods as you grow into a little girl and eventually into a woman. I'm going to enjoy it now.

And enjoy you, I do.

I love you, baby girl.

Mama

2008

One of my favorite blogs is http://www.simplemom.net/. I subscribe to its daily feed, and there rarely is a day where I'm not intrigued by what Tsh has to say. In one of her most recent posts, she encourages her readers to reflect on 2008 BEFORE setting 2009 goal's and resolutions. She brilliantly points out that "resolutions made in haste can be pointless, discouraging and depressing." She suggests setting yourself up for success by really thinking about what you want out of 2009 instead of just aimlessly naming lofty new year's vows. Here's my stab at her reflection questions.

1. What was the single best thing that happened this past year?

Greta Laine entered the world!

2. What was the single most challenging thing that happened?

I had a baby seven weeks prematurely.

3. What was an unexpected joy this past year?

I expected joy when Greta was born. What I didn't necessarily expect was that I'd fall in love with my husband all over again for different reasons than why I originally fell in love with him. He is now a father, the father of our child, and he is wonderful at it.

4. What was an unexpected obstacle?

I had high blood pressure prior to getting pregnant, so I decided to consult a high risk obstetrician to treat my condition along with the pregnancy. I knew that because of my pre-existing condition of hypertension, I was at a higher risk for developing preeclampsia. Through diet, exercise and medication, my doctors controlled my blood pressure throughout the pregnancy. However, eventually, around my 30th week, my blood pressure started to spike, and I started showing signed of preeclampsia. Despite all my efforts to fight it off, preeclampsia was not just knocking at my door; it was beating it down.

My original due date was August 19. I ended up on bedrest in the hospital on July 3. Greta was born July 6. Although I'd tried my best to dodge preeclampsia and to educate myself on the condition, I was never fully prepared for the what-ifs of it all. I knew about preeclampsia, and I knew its symptoms. I didn't fully realize how things would go down. I wasn't ready for my baby to be born early and to spend the first two weeks of her life in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

5. Pick three words to describe 2008.

Exciting

Blessed

Joyful

6. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe your 2008 (don’t ask them; guess based on how you think your spouse sees you).

Eventful

Hectic

Fulfilling

7. Pick three words your spouse would use to describe their 2008 (again, without asking).

Challenging

Busy

Fulfilling

8. What were the best books you read this year?

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

Your Pregnancy Week by Week by Glade B. Curtis

It's All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff by Peter Walsh

Belly Laughs: The Naked Truth about Pregnancy and Childbirth by Jenny McCarthy

9. With whom were your most valuable relationships?

Eric -- Poor guy had to deal with a crazy hormonal pregnant woman. God bless him.

My OB

Cara -- The girl offered so much support to me as a clueless pregnant girl AND as a clueless new mom. Words can never be enough to thank her!

10. What was your biggest personal change from January to December of this past year?

I became a mother.

11. In what way(s) did you grow emotionally?

My heart expanded two-fold when I had my daughter. I never knew I could love someone so much. At the same time, I never knew that it could hurt so badly to love someone so much, to worry so much about them.

12. In what way(s) did you grow spiritually?

As cheesy as it sounds, I feel like having a baby made me feel more in love with life and more appreciative of the soulfulness and spirituality of people. Everything is so much more beautiful now that I see things through the eyes of a mother.

13. In what way(s) did you grow physically?

I grew a baby!

14. In what way(s) did you grow in your relationships with others?

I grew close to Eric, as we bonded over an experience that tested every aspect of our relationship. Expanding from two to three was challenging, but I feel that we passed with flying colors.

I grew close with several "mommy" friends of mine -- girls that were friends before but became even more invaluable once we shared the common bond of motherhood. Y'all know who you are -- THANK YOU THANK YOU! :-)

A couple days after Greta was born -- hormonally-charged, anxiety-ridden, dealing with the emotional pain of having a baby in the NICU and suffering from post-c-section aftermath -- in a moment where I felt like the world was falling apart, in walked my sister-in-law into my hospital room. As I sat there crying, she saved me from feeling so alone. I am forever grateful for her being there that day.

15. What was the most enjoyable area of managing your home?

I like to decorate.

16. What was your most challenging area of home management?

Keeping up with the laundry is a bitch. I don't mind washing it, but I hate putting it away.

17. What was your single biggest time waster in your life this past year?

Surfing the Internet is like this big black hole where all my time seems to escape.

18. What was the best way you used your time this past year?

I rested when I needed to so I could grow a baby!

19. What was biggest thing you learned this past year?

Motherhood is the best thing I've ever done with my life.

20. Create a phrase or statement that describes 2008 for you.

I could get flowery and wordy here, but in a nutshell, all my dreams came true in all my first moments with Greta -- the first time I felt her little body against my skin, the first time I heard her little cry, the first time I tried to nurse her, the night we brought her home, the first time she smiled at me...

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2008 was a big year. I had a baby. I met the most beatiful girl in the entire world, and she is mine. We became a family.

I got cut to part-time at my job at the law firm. That sucked at the time, considering I was in my first trimester of pregnancy and there was no way I could go find another job while pregnant, because who wants to hire a woman who will be soon be taking a 3-month leave of absence? Being cut from full-time status resulted in discontinuation of health insurance. Dealing with this while pregnant was stressful, but we got through it. I'm proud of how we handled it.

Eric made partner at his law firm. I'm quite proud of him and all his hard work.

I developed friendships that I think are going to be life-lasting. And even if they're not, I'm still blessed to say those friendships have been a huge part of some very important chapters in my life. The impact of those friendships cannot be measured by any means or adequately described by words.

I feel like 2008 was the first year that depression didn't play a big part in my life. Having Greta is definitely my biggest "accomplishment" of 2008, but keeping depression at bay, especially while pregnant -- that was huge for me.

I've so much to be thankful for, this I know.