2010 Year-End Meme

I don’t do memes that much anymore, but I still really like the year-end meme because it’s nice to reflect on the years as they whiz past. So let’s do this.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Gave birth to and subsequently cared for a human life. Weird. I’ll try not to make this whole thing baby-centric but it may prove difficult as once you have a baby, they basically consume your life. Also, I went on my first cruise. Ever since then, I’ve dreamed about being on a cruise at least once a month.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Didn’t make any. Though this year I’d like to continue to get some exercise at least 5 times a week, spend one night a week reading instead of vegging in front of the T.V., continue to have at least one baby-free night a week with my husband and find more time to write. Those all seem pretty do-able because I’m already doing several of them.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yep! 2010 welcomed Lula and her future BFFs Josie, Sam, Maddie and Ian.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
We weren’t that close anymore but my cousin died. It was weird because she was so young (21), but even weirder because I found out about it on Facebook. That’s the first time that’s ever happened. Is that the new way to deliver bad news? Also, my Aunt finally lost her battle with M.S. What a shitty disease that is.

5. What countries did you visit?
Mexico.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A sense of purpose. I know that, as a mother, wife and semi-professional critic, I’m certainly necessary to at least a couple of people. I can’t exactly explain why I feel a little aimless. But hopefully 2011 will bring about an end to that.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
February 20th, my daughter’s birthday. Also, February 12th, her due date, as it painfully passed me by.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Successfully nurturing and bringing a new person into the world and subsequently keeping that person alive for the next 6 months using only my boobs. I know that people do this all the time, but it still seemed kind of incredible that I, personally, was capable of this.

9. What was your biggest failure?
Still not finding a good parenting/work balance and therefore letting my freelance work dwindle.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Pregnancy is a lot like illness and giving birth definitely counts as injury.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The Ergo baby carrier. This thing is amazing and I’m always glad to have my kid strapped into it when I’m boarding the bus, walking down a city sidewalk, rushing through an airport or shopping at Trader Joe’s. Life is just so much more difficult with a stroller.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband has been absolutely incredible and has taken to fatherhood so well. Because of him, I get to sleep in once a week and I get to relax when he comes home from work. I have NO idea how people do this by themselves.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Idiot politicians. Parents who make gay kids scared to come out.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Baby stuff and vacations.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Lula’s birth. Not being pregnant anymore. Being able to drink again. Our various vacations. Meeting my friends’ babies.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
“Sister Golden Hair” because I sing it to Lula all the time. When you’re trying to get a baby to sleep, you just pull out any songs you know all the words to that can be slowed down a bit. Plus, she’s a tow-head, so it kinda fits.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
-i. happier or sadder?
Happier. This time last year, I was pretty damned uncomfortable.
– ii. thinner or fatter?
Thinner! I don’t even want to tell you how much I weighed this time last year.
– iii. richer or poorer?
Personally, much poorer on account of work falling by the wayside. But overall, we’re probably about the same financially. Shop Amazon, people! :)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Camping. I really missed it. It wouldn’t have been as much fun with a tiny baby though. But this summer, we already have one trip planned!

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Crying. Hormones are a motherfucker.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Hung out in good old Poulsbo with our close friends. I won a gingerbread house building contest and $60 playing pai gow. It was a big day for me.

21. Where did you spend New Year’s Eve?
We dropped by an adult party and left around 9, when Lula started to lose her baby mind. When we got home, we put her to bed, watched Mad Men commentaries and fell asleep by 11:30. Parenting.

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I’ll try not to make anyone nauseous with the old “love at first baby sight” cliche. But I definitely love a person this year that I didn’t even know last year. My fella also continues to find new ways for me to fall for him.

23. How many one-night stands?
Not a lot of time for torrid anonymous sex when you have a baby.

24. What was your favorite TV program?
Mad Men and Fringe.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Hate is a strong word, but I’m not as much of a fan of someone as I used to be.

26. What was the best book you read?
I didn’t read much fiction, but I continued to get much out of this book: http://www.amazon.com/Be-Prepared-Practical-Handbook-Dads/dp/0743251547/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294018385&sr=8-1

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
That old Sesame street songs are totally palatable and even delightfully clever.

28. What did you want and get?
A healthy, awesome kid. Losing the baby weight before her first birthday. No stretch marks (no idea how this happened as I still have faded white lines on my hips from puberty).

29. What did you want and not get?
To not fall prey to postpartum depression. For our cat to get used to the baby.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
“The Room”. Not since “Showgirls” has a movie delighted me to tears with its sheer inanity.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
My husband made me dinner and we watched one of my favorite movies, “Wild at Heart”. I turned 32.

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Regular sleep.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Problematic. It really sucks having to fit a constantly fluctuating body whilst still maintaining some semblance of personal style. I mostly refused to wear maternity clothes on account of the fact that the affordable ones were extremely frumpy. After I gave birth, my body shrank slowly so I had several in-between stages to get through without spending too much money on clothes that wouldn’t fit me in a month or two.

34. What/Who kept you sane?
My husband, my awesome friends, the babysitter and alcohol.

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Jon Hamm.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The rash of suicides amongst bullied gay teens.

37. Who did you miss?
Friends who moved away. My cousin. My band.

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Lula, obviously. Our babysitter is a runner-up. I love that girl.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
That many people think they know more about how to raise your kid than you do and it’s OK to tell them to suck it.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
Sing, sing a song
Sing out loud
Sing out strong
Sing of good things not bad
Sing of happy not sad
Sing, sing a song
Make it simple
To last your whole life long
Don’t worry that it’s not good enough
For anyone else to hear
Just sing, sing a song

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