re-review 2008

We're home. We're catching up. We're exhausted. We're doing our best to dig ourselves out of the luggage. The cats won't leave us alone.


Here's my 2008 list:

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Became a mother, stopped working full time in the whole workday world.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Um, I don't even remember mine from 2008, but I'm certainly making some for 09.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. So very many. The Wife, Ana, Kate, a lot more.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Yes.

5. What countries did you visit?
Um... Montana? Is that a country?

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Patience. A peaceful way of solving frustration.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 3: duh.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Alice.

9. What was your biggest failure?
My temper.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No not really.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
It was a gift, but boy do I love my laptop.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Besides mine?

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Besides mine?

14. Where did most of your money go?
Oh the medical bills.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Alice's smile, Alice's laugh, Alice's rolling over, Alice Alice Alice. (Though can I also add a few very wonderful visits: The Wife, Buddy, Mom & Dad, The Little Brother & Melanie)

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
This Woman's Work - Kate Bush.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
Happier, fatter, poorer (HA HA)

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Say thank you.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Complain and worry.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
Madly, snowily, crazily in Utah with Chip, Alice, my parents, The Little Brother, M, and their almost-new-baby.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Again and again and again.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Battlestar Gallactica

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

24. What was the best book you read?
Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Um.

26. What did you want and get?
A healthy baby and the ability to stay home with her.

27. What did you want and not get?
World peace, again.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Dude, I had a baby. I didn't WATCH movies..

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 34. And it was almost a year ago... which might as well been a lifetime. There was cheesecake, a discussion of baby names that significantly muddied the waters at the time, and an amazingly fantastic BLISSFUL prenatal massage.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't really believe in regrets, and this one always has the ring of a regret. I have to say that 2008 was hard: bone deep painful in so many ways - but I can't regret any of it.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Pregnant and then after pregnant and then attempting-to-recover-from-being-pregnant.

32. What kept you sane?
The very same things from last year: my faith, my Chip, my family, my friends.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election.

35. Who did you miss?
Chip's dad, The Wife.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Alice Faye is a pretty remarkable person, though if I had to choose an adult type person I'd definitely say Kate.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Expect to be surprised.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Baby mine.