End of the Year Meme

Year six of this meme! Will I ever stop doing it? Eh, probably not.

The hubs and I are celebrating this New Year's so far by trying our damnest to get the kiddo to go to bed. I don't know what's up with that, but he's take at least an hour to go to bed ever since the time change. It's exhausting and so frustrating. So that's all so far. I think afterward, we're going to watch Princess Mononoke and play Lego Pirates of the Caribbean; that is, if I don't fall asleep way before then.

What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Started a program to get my teaching license for elementary school. Fun stuff right there.

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I haven't bothered to make resolutions in a really long time. Mainly, I want to deliver a healthy baby and try not to kill my husband while I'm at it. (Because, you know, it's all the man's fault while you're pregnant.)

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Some Facebook friends, but no one close. It does seem like everyone's popping out babies right now.

Did anyone close to you die?
No, thank goodness.

What countries did you visit?
None. Boo.

What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
A second child? I dunno, that's about all I can think of.

What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
November 9th, which is the day I start counting this pregnancy. Middle October is big because that's the month we went to Miami.

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting to drink alcohol as much as I wanted for four whole months! Also, I finished breastfeeding at 13 months, so I'm really excited that I did it for that long.

What was your biggest failure?
Eh, I dunno. Nothing really went wrong this year.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major. I'm having some teeth issues because a couple of new fillings that replaced old fillings aren't healing up properly. I'm still pissed about it, and I need to see if I can get them fixed (again) during my second trimester.

What was the best thing you bought?
A 40" widescreen TV for the bedroom. It's awesome-sauce. 

Whose behavior merited celebration?
My brother, maybe. He finally got himself a girlfriend and she's a keeper. :)

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Politics in general. Sigh.

Where did most of your money go?
We kinda had one thing after another hit in 2011 in terms of money. It really sucked.

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Getting pregnant again! Starting school again!

What song will always remind you of 2011?
Probably something one of Grayson's little toys play. Those jingles will always remind me of his babyhood.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
happier, always
b) thinner or fatter?
fatter and it's a bummer. I plan on going on Weight Watchers once I'm not breastfeeding baby #2 anymore.
c) richer or poorer?
about the same? But we're shoveling all of our extra money into hospital savings right now, so there's not a lot of cash hanging around to spend.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
I always say traveling, but we did take a big trip to Miami. I wish I had read more, but I did do a decent amount. I'm pretty happy with 2011 overall.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
Dealing with a cat. I'm so tired of living with an animal that hates my kid.

How will you be spending Christmas?
Like last year, we spent Christmas Eve with the in-laws and Christmas with my family.

Did you fall in love in 2011?
I've got two boys filling up my heart right now. I think I can find room for one more (boy or girl) in 2012, though. :)

What was your favorite TV program?
American Horror Story was full of glorious cracktastic awesome-ness. Adventure Time with Finn and Jake gave me hope that there might be something decent on TV for G when he's older. 

Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
I didn't much mind Simon, our cat, last year because he pretty much ignored baby-G. But he completely hates toddler-G, even though Grayson is very gentle and nice toward him. He tries to bite G whenever G attempts to gently pet him, and I this infuriates me so hard. I just don't know what to do about the situation since Simon is 11 and has to take constant thyroid medication. 

What was the best book you read?
I didn't read a ton, but I did get to rekindle my love of Bruce Coville's My Teacher is an Alien series. I also discovered George R. R. Martin's Song of Fire and Ice series and read all of those. People complain about them a lot, but they're very engaging. I'm currently reading the Girl with a Dragon Tattoo trilogy and liking it so far.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Nothing new.

What did you want and get?
Pregnant, again!

What did you want and not get?
A new house. Looks like I won't get one until 2014 at the earliest. Sigh.

What was your favorite film of this year?
The last Harry Potter. Sniff, sniff!

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned the big 3-0. Insert very heavy sigh here. But I did have a fantastic one, especially because a bunch of friends and family surprised me at the same restaurant where Dave and I 1) first ate a meal together, and 2) had our rehearsal dinner. We also went bowling. I love me some bowling.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Moving into a new house. Not having any pets.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Trying to dress my post-baby body was a bit difficult. My boobs went back down to a manageable size, but my middle didn't.

What kept you sane?
Knowing that everything in temporary and that I can always look toward the future.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I wrote this last year: Johnny Depp, as always. I want in his pants.
That statement hasn't changed.  

What political issue stirred you the most?
The upcoming 2012 election. I just can't vote for a homophobe, so all Republication nominees are out!

Who did you miss?
No one really. We did try to be more sociable this year, and we were at least fairly successful. 

Who was the best new person you met?
Made some online mama friends!

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011:
You can't go backwards. A person from college tried to stir up some kind of friendship between us this year, after two years of nothing, and it just didn't work, especially because she hadn't grown up at all. I don't have time for nonsense in my life anymore... and I think that's a sign that I'm finally - gasp - an adult.

Happy New Year, everyone!

a Christmas survey

Starting from my Livejournal days, I've just really loved surveys. If you don't <3 them, then you might wanna look elsewhere. :)

This Christmas survey comes from Matt and Kara Adopt.

1. Egg nog or hot chocolate? Since egg nog is nasty (though the hubs disagrees), I choose you, hot chocolate.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Wrapped all the way. That's half the fun.

 

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love how the white lights glow, so white, definitely.

 

4. Do you hang mistletoe? We don't. My grandparents used to, though. It was cute.
 

5. When do you put your decorations up? As soon after Thanksgiving that I can!
 

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My parents cook a Cuban meal for Christmas Eve. I haven't been 

able to eat it on Christmas Eve for a couple of years, but they always save me leftovers. Traditional Cuban pork, black beans and rice, yucca - so yummy!

 

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? I loved the year we went to Miami for Christmas. I was 16, I think. It was freaky to have Christmas when it was warm outside, but we had a blast. I loved getting the entire Cuban family together like that.

 

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? My brother and I just figured it out. I'm not sure how old we were. But my parents weren't very good about making sure Santa's handwriting didn't match their own... Luckily for us, Dave's pretty good at calligraphy, so I'm sure he can cook something up for G.

 
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Nope.

 

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? We have a fake tree, so we put that sucker up, then pile on the ornaments. We love a variety of all shapes and colors, especially those that mean something to us.

 
11. Snow! Love it or dread it? Love it! For G's first Christmas last week, we actually woke up to snow in Alabama. We weren't going to head down until the day of Christmas, but we ended up driving down late on Christmas Eve because people were so sure it was going to snow. Sure enough, it did!

 
12. Can you ice skate? Can I? Yes. Do I care to again anytime soon? Nope.

 
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Some stand out to be as a kid, such as our first gaming system (a Nintendo!) and my first bike.

 
14. What’s the most important thing about the holidays for you? Getting large amounts of family together.

 
15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? Something chocolate, but that's nothing different. I don't like a lot of traditional holiday desserts, I'm afraid.

 
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Waking up to open presents on Christmas Day and eating omelets afterward.
 

17. What tops your tree? A star. It always has to be a star!
 

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving? I'd be lying of I didn't receiving, but I get a huge rush from watching someone open a gift I gave them. As a mom, I especially love giving my kiddo gifts.

 

19. Candy canes: yuck or yum? Yum, but I have to be in the mood.
 

20. Favorite Christmas movie? I love a ton of them. There are actually very few I dislike.
 

21. Saddest Christmas song? Do I know any sad songs? I don't think so.
 

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? "All I Want for Christmas," "Carol of the Bells."

End of the Year Meme!

I've done this blasted end of year survey for over five years now. So why not post it on the new blog as well? Here's to 2010! The hubs and I are celebrating by laying in bed with our laptops, drinking a riesling that's chilling on ice, about to watch Dragon Ball Z. The whole idea makes me giggle a little too hysterically. It's probably also the glass and a half I've already had.

What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Gave birth to a baby. nothing really competes with that, huh?

Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
No resolutions show up around here. I don't really bother.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Meeeeee (see a trend here?)

Did anyone close to you die?
One of my dad's sisters died from cancer. I still can't believe she's gone.

What countries did you visit?
Alas, none

What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A chance to drink alcohol again! I am, in fact, sipping wine at the moment, but I really want the freedom I lacked when I was pregnant and now breastfeeding. I'm ready to have my body back. Sorry, g.

What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 4th, Grayson's birthday

What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Pushing a baby out of my vagina. That took two hours. Oh, and showering every day.

What was your biggest failure?
Letting my hormones get the best of me. They're bitches, those hormones.

Did you suffer illness or injury?
I got pre-eclampsia while pregnant. My blood pressure was 180/110 when I was admitted to the hospital for induction. Definitely a scary time. Plus it took two weeks to go back to normal off medication.

What was the best thing you bought?
Baby clothes. I love me some cuteness.


Whose behavior merited celebration?
My husband, as always. He's often the glue that keeps me together.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
This whole tea-bagging thing makes me want to crawl under the covers and hide. Or stab something.

Where did most of your money go?
Medical bills. Hospitals are expensive!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Not being pregnant anymore! G sleeping for longer than two hours in a row! Having a drink!

What song will always remind you of 2010?
Nothing, really.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder?
happier, totally.
b) thinner or fatter?
fatter, but only by about five pounds.
c) richer or poorer?
richer, now that we're not shoveling tons of money into hospital savings.

What do you wish you'd done more of?
traveling. I didn't go anywhere last year, which is really sad. But BUT next year we're going to Gulf Shores and Miami, so there's that.

What do you wish you'd done less of?
whining. bitches, hormones.

How will you be spending Christmas?
We spent Christmas Eve morning at our place, Christmas Eve afternoon at the in-laws, and Christmas with my parents.

Did you fall in love in 2010?
G stole my heart. Sorry, hubs.

What was your favorite TV program?
Glee rocked my socks. Also loved the ending of LOST. Many reality TV shows made me want to throw things at the TV.


Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No new dislikes.

What was the best book you read?
I unfortunately didn't do a whole lot of reading. Hoping to change that more next year as G sleeps more reliably. I did like The Hunger Games. The hubs read The Hobbit to G-in-the-belly, which really rekindled my love of Tolkien. But I also fell asleep during it a lot. I was soooo tired while pregnant.

What was your greatest musical discovery?
Baby music doesn't drive me TOTALLY batty. (Only a little.)

What did you want and get?
A baby. He is awesome.

What did you want and not get?
A new house. Maybe next year?

What was your favorite film of this year?
Hardly saw any movies. I swear I'm going to have more of a life in 2011.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 29. One more year to the big three-oh. Ugh. I woke up too early, spent the day with just G, and the hubs cooked me dinner and brownies.

What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not worrying so much about money. G went through hundreds of dollars in diapers in those early months because he had to be changed every time he peed. Seriously.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
OMG I'm fat and pregnant. Then, OMG I'm fat and not pregnant. Then, OMG I have giant boobs that don't fit into anything. So my personal fashion concept was mainly to find clothes that fit and didn't make me look like a marshmallow.

What kept you sane?
the hubs. and watching G sleep. love that.

Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Johnny Depp, as always. I want in his pants.


What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care, again. Gay marriage always pushes my buttons, too. Boo discrimination.

Who did you miss?
Friends. Going to make more of an effort to hang with them as G gets older.


Who was the best new person you met?
No one new. Would love some friends with babies to hang with every so often, share the pain and whatnot.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Sweet potato makes G gag.

FOUR is my favorite number

I dunno why, but it is. I love that my son was born on June 4th. (He was born on 6/4/10, at 6:10am, 6 pounds 3 ounces (how cool would it have been if he'd been 4 ounces?).)

Anyway, here's a meme on the day after my birthday. I'm 29. One more year before I feel officially THAT old.

Four Shows I Watch

1. Gilmore Girls, even though I've seen each episode a billion times. When it comes on at 4pm, I tend to turn it on for the familiar background noise.
2. Amazing Race, never fails to amuse
3. Glee, I love it in all its imperfections
4. Top Chef, makes me want to stuff my face with every bit of food in the house

Four Things I'm Passionate About

1. my family, they sorta, kinda rock.
2. anime. I don't get to watch enough of it, especially the new stuff. but I have a not-so small fever for it.
3. writing. can't wait to pick that back up.
4. chocolate. all shapes and sizes. please don't make me stop eating it.

Four Phrases I Say a Lot

1. "Hi!" usually to G, guaranteed a smile
2. "Freakin' cat" usually in reference to one of the cats doing something that annoys me
3. "Honey-bunny" usually in references to the hubs. sick, I know.
4. "Time for..." Time for a boob nap; time for food; time for a diapy change; etc.

Four Things I've Learned from the Past

Four Places I'd Like to Go

1. Japan
2. Disney World when G is older
3. a many-country tour of Europe
4. Denver to go skiing

Four Things I Did Yesterday

1. took a bubble bath
2. ate too much brownie
3. opened a boxed set season of Dragon Ball Z (part of Freiza saga)
4. got a massage

Four Things I Love About Winter

1. baby hats
2. scarves
3. snuggling down in bed under our heavy covers
4. fireplaces

Four Things I'm Looking Forward To 

1. Christmas!
2. G becoming more mobile - oh the cute
3. going to see Les Miserables in April
4. the hubs coming home from his second job tonight