2011 recap

A nice way to wrap up the year... (mostly baby themed, for the baby themed blog!).

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Had a baby!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I didn't make any that I can remember. Next year, I resolve to try to be a better wife and a better mother.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I met a whole bunch of ladies that gave birth around July! Also two friends from work and one of our close friends. We also have another couple that are due very early in January!

4. Did anyone close to you die? Not anyone close to me necessarilly, but we did go to a funeral this year.

5. What countries did you visit? We stayed local.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? A bit more calmness in myself.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The baby was born on 7 July (7/7 = easy to remember!).

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Physically, giving birth was a big thing. I'm also pretty happy with how I have handled becoming a mum / stopping work / not going completely crazy and not going totally postnatal.

9. What was your biggest failure? Letting my temper get the better of me. And I still spend a fair amount of time mulling things over in my head until they become a much bigger deal than they really are.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I copped a few stitches when the baby came... I also wanged my back out while I was pregnant, and then I got the haemangeoma cut out of my finger.

11. What was the best thing you bought? We actually bought our second dog this year, which seems so long ago! I also really enjoyed all the Christmas shopping, and shopping for my sister in law's baby shower.

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? All of us! Overall, we are very lucky to have such a content and laidback baby. The husband did a great job of continually checking in on me, particularly in the early days. The dogs were quite excited by the baby at first but have calmed down a fair bit. And I haven't pulled out all my hair!

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? Probably mine, of all of us. I spend so much time with me, so I know what I'm like.

14. Where did most of your money go? Medical bills! With the birth, the baby's hip and physio, my back physio, my hand operation and physio, and the husbands  medical things this year (massive migraine that appeared as a potential stroke, a suspected fractured leg, and some sun damage), we've done a good job of boosting the doctor business. That and all the adorable outfits I've bought from Target....

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? I think I was really excited about the baby's first smiles and laughs. She seemed so serious for so long, it was just such a nice change.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? We were listening to a playlist of songs I'd collected while I was in labour, then the husband switched it over to the new Bon Iver album just before it was business time. So I think it will be that album....

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:


(a) Happier or Sadder? A different kind of happy - while I was pregnant, I was hormonally happy!
(b) Thinner or Fatter? Thinner! I'm almost 20kg lighter than I was at my most pregnant (scary!) and I'm three kg lighter than my pre pregnancy weight. I'd still like to lose another five before my birthday.
(c) Richer or Poorer? Poorer.... half pay + few medical things + mortgage + baby will do that!

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Taking photos of the baby with a real camera, not our dodgy phone camera's.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Sitting on my butt looking at the internet instead of spendig quality time with my husband. But we're working on that. Part of me also wants to say 'eating less hot chips', but I enjoyed each and every one!

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2011? Christmas Eve at my eldest-youngest brother and his wife's house, with my family. It's become tradition and it's always good fun! Christmas day we unwrapped presents as a family, then went to my parent's house for lunch with the family and then to the husband's parent's house for dinner with his family. We will do lunch and dinner at the opposite house next year.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? I did! Baby! Nawwwwwwwwwww!

22. How many one-night stands? Ba ha ha!

23. What was your favorite TV program? I reaaaaaaaaaaaally get in to MasterChef. We also really got in to Raising Hope and Community, and I powered through five seasons of How I Met Your Mother. And I need to restart 30 Rock (for the third time!) and catch up.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't think so. I've seen some crazy behaviour, but don't think I really hate anyone.

25. What was the best book you read? I read a lot of Sookie Stackhouse books, the entire Black Dagger Brotherhood series and a lot of Marion Keyes - easy reads. And I found Kaz Cooke's Kidwrangling and Up the Duff to both be really helpful and entertaining. That said, I think Bossypants was my favourite book of the year!

26. What was your greatest musical discovery? Holly Throsby's See!. The husband's sister bought it for us as part of our baby shower gift and the baby loves it (as do I!).

27. What did you want and get? A healthy baby and a not-too-scary delivery. Check.

28. What did you want and not get? A babymoon!

29. What was your favorite film of this year? I've seen New Years Eve twice - I just can't help myself, I'm a Zac Efron maniac...

30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 29 and I don't really remember! I think we went out for lunch and for dinner (nom nom)...

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Immeasurably? I can't think of anything! And I feel like a sap for writing that, but it's true.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? Ah ha ha! "Just woke up".

33. What kept you sane? Words with Friends and Tiny Tower on the iPhone...

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? There were a lot of celebrity pregnancies, that was pretty interesting. Though I didn't fancy them. I am still fancying Zac Efron though, I guess!

35. What political issue stirred you the most? I'm still waiting for gay marriage to be recognised.

36. Who did you miss? Every so often I dream about a school friend who passed away, and I wake up really sad and missing him. It would have been nice for my Pa (and for all my grandparents!) to have been able to meet the baby as well.

37. Who was the best new person you met? I met a stack of awesome women through the Essential Baby forum that have moved over to Facebook, and also a lovely friend who worked at my work and whose daughter is related to the baby (via the husband and his second cousin). A great year for new friends!

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. You only have time.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. “You are the only thing in any room you're ever in..."

40. What are your resolutions for 2012? To become a better mother and a better wife. And to lose 5kg before my birthday!