A Look at 2004!

I am stealing this from Erin. Another Mommy who has inspired me to start this blog and is so funny. Thanks Erin for making me laugh the past few months and know that I am not alone in the struggles of raising a new baby boy.

1. What did you do in 2004 that you have never done before?
Hmmm - Give birth comes to mind.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Well I don't think I made any resolutions last year. I was too busy trying to get Jack out of me. But this year, I am going to lose those extra 25 lbs that Jack left behind.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yeah - Me :)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Nope thank goodness!

5. What countries did you visit?
None.

6. What date from 2004 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 5th which started at midnight when I was induced and 20 hours later I pushed the Jackaroo out and 8:28 pm.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Well along with pushing a 7lb 3 oz baby out of me, learning to be his mom is the biggest achievement.

8. What was your biggest failure?
Not sure if I had a big failure other than not losing all the baby weight yet.

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I have never been so sick so many times since I gave birth. I got pneumonia when Jack was 2 months old, bronchitus in October, numerous colds, and an icky stomach virus all within the last 10 months.

10. What was the best thing you bought?
Well this was actually a Christmas gift last year - but the Sony digital camera. Many of our friends and family will be receiving a DVD in the mail soon of a 20 min slide show - just a testament of my picture taking abilities.

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband, Jim. He is a wonderful Daddy and has put up with many of my fits this year along with Jack's fits.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Jim's ex-wife - there's a word for her and I won't use it here.

13. Where did most of your money go?
We decided to move to a new house in June and doubled our mortgage at the same time - the house is the number 1 place where our money went. Jack and trying to clothe and feed him was number 2.

14. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
After begging and begging my OB to induce me 3 weeks early, she finally said "Yes, go ahead and call the hospital for an induction." Such pretty words to my ears. Having pre-eclampsia and having been on bedrest was driving me nuts.

15. What song will always remind you of 2004?
That is a hard one, but it probably have to be Itsy Bitsy Spider. I have sang that song approximately 1,000,000,000 times give or take.

16. Compared to this time last year, are you happier or sadder?
Happier - life seems to have fallen into place very nicely.

17. Thinner or fatter?
Well I am smaller in size but I would have to say fatter. What is it about giving birth and that stupid belly won't go away. So depressing.

18. Richer or poorer?
Definitely poorer. Buying house, Jack, and going to part time at work = no money in the Jackaroo house. :(

19. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Keeping in contact with friends. I am really bad with that. Life is just too busy.

20. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Work and the drive to work - it just gets in the way of life.

21. How will you be spending Christmas?
Next year we might get together with our families somehow. It would be nice to show Jack a white Michigan Christmas.

22. Did you fall in love in 2004?
Yep the biggest love of my life - Jack

23. Any one night stands?
Yeah right - NOT

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Guiding Light (thank you Tivo) and Gilmore Girls

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, but I really really dislike a certain Ex-wife.

26. What was the best book you read?
Read? What is that again? I forget. Let me see, I read "What to Expect the first year" and um Bedtime Stories and Dr. Suess. Gosh I miss reading.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Itsy Bitsy Spider song and how it can calm a baby magically.

28. What did you want and get?
I wanted a healthy baby and a close family. I got both.

29. What did you want and not get?
That new living room furniture that I fell in love with but was $5000 and we bought baby furniture instead.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Well I didn't get to actually go to a movie this year except I-Robot when Katie was visiting and could babysit. But I have to say Shrek 2 was really good. Just saw that on dvd.

31. What did you do on your birthday?
Work :(

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
To be about 40 lbs less and of course have a lot more money.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2004?
Very casual bordering on sloppy. I refuse to spend money on new clothes and buy the big sizes.

34. What kept you sane?
My husband, the March Munchkins board

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Not sure. Maybe those who were also pregnant like Julia Roberts.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election. I just don't feel that Kerry was fighting fairly.

37. Who did you miss?
My family in Michigan who missed out on Jack's birth

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Duh - Jackaroo!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2004:
Like Erin said - Having a baby changes every single thing and is so much harder than I thought it would be and so much more rewarding than I ever thought. I remember people saying that you have no idea what that little baby will do to you until it gets here and boy are they right! Truly an amazing experience. I never knew how much I could love a little person like I love my little Jackaroo.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
From the Carpenters - Close to you:

On the day you were born, the angels got together and decided to create a dream come true.