It was a very good year

(Previous years: 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007)  

1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
Had a baby girl. Got a master's degree. Went to Mexico. Gave birth with zero interventions. Organized a girls' weekend. Hosted a baby shower. Attended a concert at Red Rocks. Sent my kid to school.


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn't make any. I don't think I will this year, either. I am in the middle of purging and organizing our house, though (I'm in serious postpartum nesting mode) and I really hope to maintain the organizational levels once they're achieved.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Me! Also Katie, Liz, and Susie, and my French host sister.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
England and Mexico.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
A nephew!

7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 2, the day Annika was born.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I think I managed to be a pretty decent parent to Callum despite the mental and physical exhaustion of work, school, and pregnancy. And I think I'm doing pretty well at parenting two kids, so far.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I was going to say all the times I was too exhausted to really engage with Callum the way he deserves, but you know what? I was pregnant, working full time, and in school. And I have a really fantastic co-parent who picked up the slack for me. So I think my parenting this year falls into the achievement category, where I put it, and I think the failure category has to do with beating myself up too much for normal human behavior. I blamed myself for being lazy and useless when I was really just responding normally to some tough (but worthwhile!) conditions.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
An awful bronchitis-like disease complete with fever, and a nasty stomach bug, but nothing serious.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Our new TV. Nice bedding. A raclette.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Torsten's, like every year. In what seems to becoming a theme of this post, I was emotionally wrung out for much of the year, and on top of his own demanding job and everything he was already doing at home, he did so much parenting stuff while I lay on the couch, including the tedious grunt-work, and never complained, and also rubbed my back every day.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Nobody in my personal circle, thankfully.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Same answer for the third straight year: our mortgage and childcare.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Oh, you know, having a baby. Also seeing Callum as a big brother.

16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
All That She Wants by Ace of Base.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
b) thinner or fatter?
c) richer or poorer?
a) Happier
b) Fatter (the baby was worth it, but ugh)
c) Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Meal planning.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Feeling exhausted and nauseated.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
At home with just the four of us. It was the first year that Callum really got the whole Christmas and Santa concept, and it was really fun planning for him, and so lovely to see his reaction, and also peaceful and low-key not to have anywhere to go.

21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
Yes, with my amazing baby girl.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Downton Abbey.


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

24. What was the best book you read?
Eleanor & Park.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I'm not sure I made any.

26. What did you want and get?
A second baby. A master's degree. A promotion. Purple Uggs (thanks, family!).

27. What did you want and not get?
A bike. Endless energy.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
We hardly watched any movies this year, but I liked Lincoln a lot.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I truly cannot remember. OK, I just discovered a blog post where I mentioned it. There was a blizzard, so on my actual birthday we stayed home, and then we went out for a nice dinner the following weekend. I turned 29.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Truly, nothing. I'm ending the year with a happy marriage, two healthy kids, and a job that I like. Possibly the best year ever, you know?

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
Round and empire-waisted.

32. What kept you sane?
My little family.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Hm. Uh. Lindy West?

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Pretty much all of them, so I'll go with last year's answer of marriage equality and access to health care.

35. Who did you miss?
Same answer as the last four years: Most of my friends and family, since pretty much all of them live far away now.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Annika, of course, but in the standard sense of "met," Susie. I can't actually believe we hadn't met in person before this year.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
Your best is usually good enough.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
I don't think there is one. Oh well.

Happy New Year, everybody!