2011 In Review

2008, 2009, and 2010

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?
Parented not one, but TWO children.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
My resolutions from last year were to be more organized and better at time management. I also wanted to complete my Day in the Life project from 2010 and work on my photography skills. I was doing beautifully on the organization/time management goal until my third trimester got really ugly starting in April and then, of course, Oliver was born in July. Since then life has been about managing the moment-to-moment kid stuff and I can only dream of getting organized and having time to manage. Maybe I can tackle some things once life settles down. Yes, I'm still clinging to the hope that life will not continue to feel this chaotic and out of my control. I did finish the Day in the Life project for 2010 just before Oliver was born, but there was no working on photography skills beyond checking out a book on exposure from the library and reading it. I think I did decently with my resolutions given the circumstances.

2012 resolutions:

1. Give up diet soda. OH, I WEEP! But it's time. It's way out of line with my other eating beliefs and I know it makes my body feel kind of gross. I will allow myself 13 diet cokes during the year (one a month and one to grow on) to whoop it up on occasion.
2. Be more positive. Husband and I both want to work on this. I have always struggled with negativity (my fatal flaw, perhaps), but it's especially challenging when you are operating on little sleep. So we now have code words to say to each other when we are getting bogged down with what's wrong. There are many things right. I need to see those and not the poopy stuff.
3. There are a million other projects that I'd like to work on, but I'm trying to be more realistic about my non-time. Maybe that's a resoution in itself? Be realistic about this stage in life and embrace my limited personal time in a meaningful way (read: not only turning to Netflix between the hours of 8-10 pm).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Me! My sister. My friend, Holly.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What places did you visit?
*Changed this to places since there won't be all that much country traveling for several years*
We went to San Diego in February that turned into a longer stay when a major blizzard hit the midwest. Then we went ot Florida in November to visit Husband's parents.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
The feeling that my head is above water on a regular basis. A house better suited to a family with two small children. A thrush-free existence.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
July 1 - Biggie is born!

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
If I were to point to a single event, then I would say delivering Oliver without pain medication. And to that point, and perhaps more so than the actual birthing experience, I am proud of how hard I worked to prepare myself for another med-free birth - all those hours of Hypnobabies and affirmations. But on a more macro level, I'm really proud of my parenting. It's not perfect and I make mistakes everyday, but I think I do a fab job of parenting mindfully.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I keep going back and forth between saying "keeping up with stuff" and "being okay with not keeping up with stuff." That sort of confusion is the story of my life right now.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I would say that this past year has been the most challenging one of my life on a physical level. There was the nasty third trimester and then the hemmorrhage/anemia/thrush recovery. Now I would say I'm quite healthy, I just don't necessarily feel that way since I'm incredibly sleep deprived and out of shape/overweight.

11. What was the best thing you bought? I really adore my iPhone and use it in many ways.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Both kids, of course. Bella in many ways - her incredible grasp on language, her self-motivation to get potty trained and most notably her ability to adapt to her little brother joining the family. She amazes me daily, perhaps even hourly. And sweet little Ollie surprises us with his physical strength every day and his mellow, happy personality shines through. Husband gets kudos for going after a new job that was better suited to his talents and abilities. Same with my sister and her new job!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
This question makes me depressed.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Same old, same old: Household stuff (bills, mortgage, groceries, whatnot), rental-property stuff, and savings. And I suppose some new baby things, too.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Having Oliver is the obvious answer, but the truth is that I felt really yucky leading up to his birth and then I felt even worse afterwards. So I only had about 5 minutes of excitement there. So what made me really, really excited was when I emerged from the fog that was postpartum anemia to find that I was (1) not pregnant and (2) the mother of two beautiful children. Does that make sense? Also: running again was great.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011?
Someone Like You by Adele. I feel like I don't even have a say in it, it was simply so EVERYWHERE. Also: Moves Like Jagger.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Happier is some ways - not puking! New baby! Sadder in others, but maybe I'm just way sleepy.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Wamp, wamp.
c) richer or poorer? Richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Practically speaking, there really wasn't the time/physical ability/energy to do MORE things, but I do wish I had done a better job keeping in touch with friends and also blogging the last couple months.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Ruminating and feeling negative over things that were out of my control.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my side of the family here at our place.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011?
Oh yes, with my little man.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Friday Night Lights. We also enjoyed Greek (random) and I like that New Girl show.

23. What was the best book you read?
Would you believe that I have read about 60 books this year in spite of the crazy? Thank you iPhone and nursing! My favorite would have to be Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Bella on the xylophone is something to behold. I have been fond of the Ingrid Michealson and Regina Spektor stations on Pandora, too.

26. What did you want and get?
To have a successful med-free delivery and a healthy baby.

27. What did you want and not get?
To not hemorrhage after birth and to have an easy recovery. To move to a new house.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I liked Crazy, Stupid Love.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My birthday was kind of a downer this year, but it ended better than it started. I had two last minute doctor appointments (pediatrian & midwives) for thrush reasons - this was when the ped said "thrush is not a problem" - and then my siblings were in town and they came over for dinner. I turned 31.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More sleep, an easier pregnancy, and an easier recovery. But stepping back and looking at the big picture - it was all worth it and the tough stuff from this year will be but a memory someday.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Disasterous. Can I just go naked? I swear I would feel more confident that way versus trying to fit my random shaped bod into clothes.

32. What kept you sane?
Husband. Bella making me laugh. Oliver laughing. Help from family when I needed it most. Cats. Sleep. Coffee. For sure coffee.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Ryan Gosling for a second year in a row. Oh, and I had a brief moment of lust for Tim Riggins.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Giant FAIL on following political issues.

35. Who did you miss?
Husband and I have both agreed that we miss each other, although that is better now that we have reclaimed our kid-free hours at night.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Oliver!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
2011 was so overwhelming in so many ways and I feel like I'm still in the middle of learning several life lessons. This past year was such a blur. But I guess it's something along the line of "Doing the best you can is okay."

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This seemed very involved and I just googled "Beautiful Life" and Ace of Base popped up. Perfecto!

Take a walk in the park when you feel down
There's so many things there
that's gonna lift you up
See the nature in bloom a laughing child
Such a dream, oooh

It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
It's a beautiful life, oh oh ooo
I just wanna be here beside you
I just wanna be here beside you