Alternatively titled, '2009 - Shut Up About That Damn Baby'
She can walk now, did I tell you that?
She's so advanced.
Really, she's amazing.
Much better than your kids.
I did this meme back in 2007, failed to complete it in 2008 (something about having a baby days in to the New Year....) and I'm re-attempting it this year.
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Parented two children. Obviously this was the BIG NEWS of the year. Lucy's arrival. Yes I'd looked after an infant before, but an infant and a 4 year old? It seems ridiculous now that I routinely look after both of them for hours, even days at a time, but that first couple of hours flying solo when LK went to a concert? Etched in my brain for ever. They both slept more or less the entire time, but I clutched that baby to my chest knowing that if she woke up and her sister woke, then the entire Universe would explode with impossibility because it just could not be done.
What else? I had something (a very little something) published in Real Simple magazine, and I started making money off this blog. Neither qualify me for giving up my day job, or even calling myself a writer, but it's a start. Perhaps.
and finally, I got myself organized with Skype and that was by far one of the best decisions of the year. Even though we were flat broke after I had Lucy I splashed out on a webcam for a Mac and my parents did likewise. It has been the greatest thing. During my maternity leave I would have hour-long natters over a cup of tea with my Mum while Lucy dozed in the background. My Dad, who is a man of few words, now participates in conversations, and they both get to see Anna and Lucy flit in and out of camera shot as they go about their business of dressing princesses or picking small objects up off the floor to chew. Now if I could just work out how to get Mun and Dad to babysit via Skype my life would be perfect....
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I had any other than to deliver a baby with both of us intact. Next years will include drinking more water and trying to eat at least five fruits and veg a day. A girl can dream.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? That would be me. Welcome to the world Lucy Jane! Now almost an entire year old and 'practically a person'.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? England. I would love to be able to go back every year. Anna said recently 'I wish I was two Anna's and one of me could live in England with Granny and Granddad and look for snails'. Well said that girl - I'd even take the snails.
We also went to Maine to visit LK's family, and I think that counts because if you live in Southern California then New England is practically a foreign country. A country where the only spices are 'ketchup' and 'more ketchup'.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Can I say financial security three years in a row? Hell yes I can. Wishlist includes two cars that work, contraception that doesn't send me loopy, more free time to write.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan 8th - Welcome to the world Miss Lucy!
May 6th - FIRE!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See question 3 & 7.
9. What was your biggest failure? I suppose it's good that one doesn't automatically spring to mind...
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I have had a migraine every day for the last 3 months. When I write it like that I'm amazed I'm stupid enough to think I can cure myself with 'drinking more water'. I think it's hormonal but in the meantime I'll just drink this glass of water...
11. What was the best thing you bought? A webcam to enable us to use Skype, plane tickets home, and I have to say, a ridiculously overpriced scarf I lusted after when pregnant. Flat broke, on maternity leave I shelled out for a beautiful handwoven scarf containing all my favourite colours. My justification was I'd just had a baby and a scarf was the only flattering piece of clothing I could wear. I've worn it at least 3 days a week ever since. It almost makes me want to stop buying crap at Old Navy and only buy one or two gorgeous pieces of clothing a year...
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My friend Jen for volunteering to watch Lucy while I'm at work, enabling me to leave the house each morning safe in the knowledge that my daughter was in a household where people know how to cook fabulous food and a decorate with flair.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Mostly mine. Oh, and people who have faith in health insurance companies.
14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage and childcare. *sigh*
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Lucy sleeping through the night. Seeing my name in print.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Hard to say. Not that I'm unhappy, but being pregnant with Lucy and facing a 3 month break from work last year meant there was a lot to be grinning about. b) thinner or fatter? Definitely thinner. Squashier, but thinner. c) richer or poorer? I think this is the eye of the hurricane.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I'd had more date time with LK. I also wish I'd looked after myself a bit better, more yoga, fewer 5th glasses of wine at dinner parties, more time by myself. - wow I wrote this in 2007 and it's still completely applicable. So now I'm just going to wish for more money with which to accomplish these impossible goals!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Nurturing old wounds. 2010 motto - let it go! And stop getting drunk and blurting out all the stuff you're too wimpy to blog about. Oh, and stop worrying.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Home in Santa Barbara, missing my family but having a wonderful time with LK, my two girls, friends and American family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Yes. I have a crush on my smallest daughter and I want to bite her bum.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Mary Queen of Shops and Top Chef, tied for first. OK, and if I'm honest 'Teen Moms' on VH1.
23. What was the best book you read? Oooo, I'm halfway through reading Girl With A Dragon Tattoo right now which I'm loving, so probably that book unless it has a singularly disappointing ending. Honourable mention has to go to 'Friday Night Knitting Club' not because I particularly enjoyed it (a bit blah to be honest) but I was reading it when in labour with Lucy and wrote my contraction times on the top of every page, so it's a book I shall keep in my library forever.
24. Favourite clothes shop? White Stuff!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Killers. I am so very out of date.
26. What did you want and get? Another child.
27. What did you want and not get? Money.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? I might have to come back to this one. I loved Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 36 and I can't remember. I must be getting old.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Babysitting on tap.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? I appear to be wearing a lot of scarves.
32. What kept you sane? Sleep.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I have to say, it was hard to muster the energy this year, but thanks to S&G for finding this tea towel for me:
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Universal healthcare. If I have to hear one more patient crying on the phone saying 'but I thought we were covered.....'.
35. Who did you miss? My family. Every day.
36. Who was the best new person you met? Loop the poop.
37. Most overused word or phrase of 2009: GENTLE!!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. Always shut the toilet lid if you have a baby that can walk otherwise say goodbye to your cell phone.
She can walk now, did I tell you that?
She's so advanced.
Really, she's amazing.
Much better than your kids.
I did this meme back in 2007, failed to complete it in 2008 (something about having a baby days in to the New Year....) and I'm re-attempting it this year.
1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Parented two children. Obviously this was the BIG NEWS of the year. Lucy's arrival. Yes I'd looked after an infant before, but an infant and a 4 year old? It seems ridiculous now that I routinely look after both of them for hours, even days at a time, but that first couple of hours flying solo when LK went to a concert? Etched in my brain for ever. They both slept more or less the entire time, but I clutched that baby to my chest knowing that if she woke up and her sister woke, then the entire Universe would explode with impossibility because it just could not be done.
What else? I had something (a very little something) published in Real Simple magazine, and I started making money off this blog. Neither qualify me for giving up my day job, or even calling myself a writer, but it's a start. Perhaps.
and finally, I got myself organized with Skype and that was by far one of the best decisions of the year. Even though we were flat broke after I had Lucy I splashed out on a webcam for a Mac and my parents did likewise. It has been the greatest thing. During my maternity leave I would have hour-long natters over a cup of tea with my Mum while Lucy dozed in the background. My Dad, who is a man of few words, now participates in conversations, and they both get to see Anna and Lucy flit in and out of camera shot as they go about their business of dressing princesses or picking small objects up off the floor to chew. Now if I could just work out how to get Mun and Dad to babysit via Skype my life would be perfect....
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't think I had any other than to deliver a baby with both of us intact. Next years will include drinking more water and trying to eat at least five fruits and veg a day. A girl can dream.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? That would be me. Welcome to the world Lucy Jane! Now almost an entire year old and 'practically a person'.
4. Did anyone close to you die? No.
5. What countries did you visit? England. I would love to be able to go back every year. Anna said recently 'I wish I was two Anna's and one of me could live in England with Granny and Granddad and look for snails'. Well said that girl - I'd even take the snails.
We also went to Maine to visit LK's family, and I think that counts because if you live in Southern California then New England is practically a foreign country. A country where the only spices are 'ketchup' and 'more ketchup'.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Can I say financial security three years in a row? Hell yes I can. Wishlist includes two cars that work, contraception that doesn't send me loopy, more free time to write.
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Jan 8th - Welcome to the world Miss Lucy!
May 6th - FIRE!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
See question 3 & 7.
9. What was your biggest failure? I suppose it's good that one doesn't automatically spring to mind...
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I have had a migraine every day for the last 3 months. When I write it like that I'm amazed I'm stupid enough to think I can cure myself with 'drinking more water'. I think it's hormonal but in the meantime I'll just drink this glass of water...
11. What was the best thing you bought? A webcam to enable us to use Skype, plane tickets home, and I have to say, a ridiculously overpriced scarf I lusted after when pregnant. Flat broke, on maternity leave I shelled out for a beautiful handwoven scarf containing all my favourite colours. My justification was I'd just had a baby and a scarf was the only flattering piece of clothing I could wear. I've worn it at least 3 days a week ever since. It almost makes me want to stop buying crap at Old Navy and only buy one or two gorgeous pieces of clothing a year...
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My friend Jen for volunteering to watch Lucy while I'm at work, enabling me to leave the house each morning safe in the knowledge that my daughter was in a household where people know how to cook fabulous food and a decorate with flair.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Mostly mine. Oh, and people who have faith in health insurance companies.
14. Where did most of your money go? Mortgage and childcare. *sigh*
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Lucy sleeping through the night. Seeing my name in print.
16. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? Hard to say. Not that I'm unhappy, but being pregnant with Lucy and facing a 3 month break from work last year meant there was a lot to be grinning about. b) thinner or fatter? Definitely thinner. Squashier, but thinner. c) richer or poorer? I think this is the eye of the hurricane.
17. Who inspired you? My friend Fussy who got the recognition she so thoroughly deserves by getting a book deal out of this blog with her friend Alice. Also Geninne's art blog inspires me every single time I read it. Her work is just beautiful and I would spend a fortune on Etsy on her stuff, if I had a fortune.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? I wish I'd had more date time with LK. I also wish I'd looked after myself a bit better, more yoga, fewer 5th glasses of wine at dinner parties, more time by myself. - wow I wrote this in 2007 and it's still completely applicable. So now I'm just going to wish for more money with which to accomplish these impossible goals!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Nurturing old wounds. 2010 motto - let it go! And stop getting drunk and blurting out all the stuff you're too wimpy to blog about. Oh, and stop worrying.
20. How did you spend Christmas? Home in Santa Barbara, missing my family but having a wonderful time with LK, my two girls, friends and American family.
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Yes. I have a crush on my smallest daughter and I want to bite her bum.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Mary Queen of Shops and Top Chef, tied for first. OK, and if I'm honest 'Teen Moms' on VH1.
23. What was the best book you read? Oooo, I'm halfway through reading Girl With A Dragon Tattoo right now which I'm loving, so probably that book unless it has a singularly disappointing ending. Honourable mention has to go to 'Friday Night Knitting Club' not because I particularly enjoyed it (a bit blah to be honest) but I was reading it when in labour with Lucy and wrote my contraction times on the top of every page, so it's a book I shall keep in my library forever.
24. Favourite clothes shop? White Stuff!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery? The Killers. I am so very out of date.
26. What did you want and get? Another child.
27. What did you want and not get? Money.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? I might have to come back to this one. I loved Meryl Streep in Julie and Julia.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? 36 and I can't remember. I must be getting old.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Babysitting on tap.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? I appear to be wearing a lot of scarves.
32. What kept you sane? Sleep.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I have to say, it was hard to muster the energy this year, but thanks to S&G for finding this tea towel for me:
34. What political issue stirred you the most? Universal healthcare. If I have to hear one more patient crying on the phone saying 'but I thought we were covered.....'.
35. Who did you miss? My family. Every day.
36. Who was the best new person you met? Loop the poop.
37. Most overused word or phrase of 2009: GENTLE!!
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. Always shut the toilet lid if you have a baby that can walk otherwise say goodbye to your cell phone.
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