Rock 'n Roll!

Kate is 5 months old. About a week ago, she began rolling over. She did it so quickly that we missed it the first time. Then she surprised us by not only rolling front to back but also back to front. Tonight, I discovered her rolled from her back to her stomach with her head propped up in her crib. However, she was distraught at being unable to roll back over due to being pressed up against the (breathable) crib bumper. Silly girl.

Out with the Old.

I copied this from Wishokie's site after reading her insightful responses. Feel free to post your own answers, either in the comments or on your own blog! Here are mine:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Gave birth/became a mother; underwent surgery (C-section); tried to breastfeed; bought a minivan; filled a stocking.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don't generally make resolutions, but I always have long term goals like move more, eat less, save more, clean more and call more. I am still trying.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Me on 8/19/08, Becky & Steve (Benjamin), Sejal & Jeff (Shayla), Jennifer & Marc (Alex), Stephanie & Andy (Gretchen), Heather & Jim (Holly), Onya & Clay (Tyler) plus one of Chris's work friends and some on line friends. It is a baby boom in our circles with more on the way.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My maternal Grandfather died on 12/30/08.

5. What countries did you visit?
Too busy being pregnant and wrangling a newborn to travel.

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A finished basement and a clean and well-organized house. I know, I know....dream on.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
8/19/08 when Kate was born and 12/30/08 when Papa died.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Kate!

9. What was your biggest failure?
Letting my weight creep back up and our messy, disorganized house.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
UTIs, high blood pressure & nausea during pregnancy. Preeclampsia that necessitated the administration of magnesium sulfate, and eventually, a C-section where they also removed noncancerous ovarian cysts. Also, 3.5 months after delivery, I developed an unexplained case of hives all over my body for 2 days that went away with antihistamines. This overlapped with a sore throat from hell that turned out to be nothing.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our minivan--so much easier. Also--our snowblower. Also so much easier.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Chris's. He is a fun, talented and affectionate Daddy to Kate, and he was a huge help to my family when my Papa was in his last days.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Madoff using a Ponzi scheme to rob people (I also learned what a Ponzi scheme is), IL corrupt politics, the Caylee Anthony homicide and similar crimes and, more generally, others who do not have enough love and respect for themselves to care for their children properly.

14. Where did most of your money go?
House/Baby/food/car purchase

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Obama's election & Kate's smile and giggle

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
The K-k-k aty song that Papa sang to Kate when he met her.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? About the same.
b) thinner or fatter? Slightly fatter, I think. I was only 1 month pregnant then.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Taken more time off work before delivery. Slept & exercised more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Eaten, fretted, nagged.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
It was Kate's first Christmas, so we decorated our house and filled stockings. We had dinner at my Aunt Julie's on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, we got up early, opened our stockings and our presents from Chris's Mom and Brother and from each other. Then we had a large breakfast at my Grandma's with the extended family, opened Kate's many presents and ours, visited Papa in the nursing home where we sang Christmas carols and fed him ice cream and came home to a wonderful Christmas dinner cooked by Chris. The days afterward we spent at my Dad's house opening more gifts for Kate and us and playing "Dancing with the Stars" on the Wii.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
More and more deeply every day with Kate and with Chris.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
We rarely missed watching "Dancing with the Stars," "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives" and "Brothers & Sisters." We also bid a fond farewell to "Boston Legal."

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

24. What was the best book you read?
It was either The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregnancy, Baby Bargains or What to Expect When you're Expecting. Super exciting stuff! I started to read a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel--really I did. I just did not get very far.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery? Adele

26. What did you want and get?
A point and shoot digital camera, a Blue-ray HD DVD player, make-up & Chris home with Kate

27. What did you want and not get?
We cannot find a damn Wii console anywhere for its retail price. Nintendo, we want to give you our money. Please take it! Chris has taken to stalking Walmart, Sam's Club, Target and Toys'r Us. Watch out!

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
"The Dark Knight" for Heather Ledger's performance. We did not see many films this year, but we are catching up by using Blockbuster online.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Our neighbor Julie, and her daughter, Megan, babysat Kate while I enjoyed a delicious dinner at All Seasons Bistro in East Lansing with Chris. I was 33.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not sure.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Anything that actually fits. Thank you, Target, TJ Maxx sales racks and Motherhood Maternity.

32. What kept you sane?
The routine of work, enough sleep, Chris, my family and writing about it.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I kind of have a crush on Jon Stewart and his show.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Worry about the long term impact of a bankrupt Big 3 automaker.

35. Who did you miss?
My Papa. Also, my best friend, Shantala, who lives far away.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Kate. We are still getting to know each other.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
There is no one right way to do parenthood. Also, those tabs on the sides of aluminum foil and plastic wrap are there to hold the roll in place.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I've got you under my skin/I've got you deep in the heart of me/so deep in my heart that you're really a part of me.

Sooooo Big!

Kate had her 4 month well-baby visit today. She is actually 4.5 months old, so the percentiles may be a bit misleading. She measured 25 3/4 inches long (85th percentile and up from 23 inches at two months) and 16 pounds (82nd percentile and up from 11 lbs, 5 oz. at two months). Perhaps most dramatically, her head circumference increased from 38.5 inches (45th percentile) to 42.5 inches (78th percentile) in two months. Girl, you have a big head!

Lately, she has been enjoying rattling off a constant string of gutteral "Mmmmm...mmmmm....mmmmm" sounds. She has mastered all of her 4 month skills except for rolling over, although she gets an "A" for effort. She is giggling more loudly when Daddy blows raspberries on her neck and cheeks and tickles her all over. And, although the nurse practitioner today could find no evidence of cutting teeth, we think the teething process has begun. The drool is fairly constant, and she often has her whole fist shoved into her mouth with occasional fussiness. She is also sleeping more during the day while maintaining her typical 8-10 hour nighttime siesta, as well.