2010 in (Slightly Shorter) Review – The Reluctant Grownup

I ditched some of my least favorite questions, and answered the rest!

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Mardi Gras! Who knew that it would be so family friendly? This year, though, we’ve gotta do something about the bathroom situation at parades. I’ll have to remember to keep cash on me at all times, to bribe those folks with the foresight to bring their own porta potties.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I do not appear to have made any. Perhaps it was pregnancy brain. I do plan to make more for next year. At some point. This is probably what I said last January, and then WHOOP! suddenly and without warning, it was December.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Moi. Oy, what a birth.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, touch wood.

5. What countries did you visit?

Sigh. Zero, again. It’s been so long I can’t remember. We have daydreamed about trips to Scandinavia, Quebec, and South America. I’ve also read Frances Mayes and Peter Mayle over and over and over again, but for some reason it didn’t magically transport me to a charming villa/cottage in the Italian/French countryside that I paid for by writing witty, charming novels/nonfiction about my travels. Weird.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Need I even say? Check back over the last two or three of these questionnaires. Job/money/financial security. BIG HUGE SIGH.

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched on your memory, and why?

January something or other, when the technician told us “it’s a wee-wee”, and I stopped scrawling “Olivia Therese,” and “Emilia Anne” and “Kathleen Miller” all over the place.

June 15. This was a physically challenging day (to put it mildly) that got drastically better after 6:33 pm when I first laid eyes on the squalling face of my second son.

October 21, when my sister got engaged. I only remember this specific date because it was my own fourth wedding anniversary – an auspicious day for marital happines.

That’s it. Because of Liam and all the non-sleeping he brought (both before and after birth), most of the rest of the year is a muddle.

8. What was your bravest achievement of the year?

Giving birth and being the mother of a newborn. Again. Extra brave this time, since I knew what I was getting into and I did it anyway.

9. What was your biggest failure?

I’m not too hard on myself these days. I’m a law student and mother of two babies – I am pretty pleased with the fact that I haven’t lost the plot under all of the stress.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Aside from the birth-giving, no injuries. Illnesses, however, are another story, as I am the mother of a preschooler/germ incubator. I am buying stock in Kleenex.

11. Where did most of your money go?

Into my adventures sailing around the world in my huge, opulent yacht, paying the salaries of my support staff and buying off Somali pirates.

12. What song will always remind you of 2010?

The ABCs, since Jack finally learned how to sing them himself! For similar reasons – the Wheels on the Bus, Old McDonald, The Halloween Pumpkins on the Gate Song, the One About the Turkey Going Gobble Gobble, Jingle Bells, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, and Santa Claus is Coming to Town. In terms of regular-type music, this will go down as the year I fell in love with Patty Griffin (via Pandora. I heart Pandora).

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

Let’s start with (b) thinner – since I keep having babies in alternate years, this makes this question a no-brainer every year. And (c) poorer – can you believe it? Finally (a) – this is a difficult one. I have a lot of reasons to be happy, but I won’t lie and say I don’t struggle with some sadness sometimes re: our job situation; economy, the unfairness of; finance woes; stress of being a law student and mom of two; lack of local friends.

14. How did you spend Christmas?

It was so fabulous. This one was at my husband’s family home, and it was magical. The older the kids get, the more fun it gets. I realize at some point the opposite will be true, when we hit those teenage years, but during the preschooler days I am eating it up. Jack and his cousins had a great time, Liam was happily oblivious, and the adult members of the family designed the perfect blend of activity and laziness in front of the fire with cocktails. Really a nice one.

15. Did you fall in love in 2010?

Oh Liam.

16. What was your favorite tv program?

30 Rock and the West Wing! On Netflix!

17. What was the best book you read?

All three novels by Julia Glass.

18. What did you want and get?

For Christmas? Tana French’s new mystery novel (not as good as her first two, by the by, though still a page turner!) A comprehensive makeup kit so I can begin masking my age and chasing eternal youth in the true American tradition. And the best gift of all – making my mother cry at the sight of the portrait we had made of our family dog, who we lost this year.

19. What did you want and not get?

Calorie-free Christmas cookies.

20. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 32. I cannot remember a single thing about what we did. Liam was new, so probably not much.

21. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

Doing the best I can with what I have.

22. What kept you sane?

In sanity terms, this has been a roller coaster of a year. We thought we’d be in a small town near Nashville this year, with The Professor teaching at an excellent (and tiny) school. That was a tidy little disappointment to begin our year, and the dilemma of how to find work for two professionals in one city during a recession remains the one that frames all of our nightly pillow talk. As our jobless period stretches, worries and uncertainty linger (and our retirement age gets later and later and later), while we both juggle study and jobs and raise two small and energetic boys. If I’m lucky in the future and face no epic tragedies, then I’m sure these law school years will go down as my least sane. My husband keeps me from losing my mind, and long emails to my friends and sister. Beer. Blogs of fellow women going through the same stuff.

23. What political issue stirred you the most?

Healthcare, once again, as it probably will until we finally have universal healthcare, in whatever form that takes in this country.

24. Who did you miss?

My sister. The band. My mother. My other sisters, both blood and -in-law, who have never lived close to me as an adult but whose daily presence I would welcome. I read somewhere that adult happiness can be most reliably predicted by the presence (or absence) of close and sustaining friendships. I believe it.

25. Who was the best new person you met?

I met Jackie in 2009, but we became good buds this last year. She’s a fellow law student, and though she’s younger and childless (like all my classmates), she is by far the most accommodating of my limitations. In other words, she comes over for lunch all the time and holds my kid for me while we chat over turkey sandwiches (for us) and peanut butter graham crackers (for him), because she knows we can’t really go out much.

26. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010?

It occurred to me just a couple of days ago how I am still, and probably always will be, endlessly working to earn my father’s love and respect. Even when I already have it. A great deal of energy goes toward this. Seems simple, but it was kind of a revelation for me.

27. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

The Baby on the bus goes Wah Wah Wah

Wah Wah Wah

The Baby on the bus goes Wah Wah Wah, all through the town.

The Mommy on the bus goes Sh Sh Shhhh

Sh Sh Shhhh

The Mommy on the bus goes Sh Sh Shhhh all through the town.