New Year's Quiz

I’m filling out this New Year’s Quiz, suggested on All and Sundry, cuz I think it sounds like a fun idea. Since River was born in December of 2007, 2008 was my first year of motherhood, full of lots of firsts.

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?
Breastfed. Picked a booger from someone’s nose. Ignored a pee or spit-up patch on my pants/shirt. Many other such things.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
With a three week old last New Year’s, I didn’t have time for resolutions. This year I will lose the rest of the baby weight (hopefully in the earlier parts of 2009), I will find a job, I will find a balance between motherhood, family, work and self.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes. One of my closest friends, who was also the maid of honor at my wedding. I think River inspired her to get pregnant again. I’m certain River inspired my sister-in-law, who is due January 5th.

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

5. What countries did you visit?
Panama, Costa Rica, Mexico – not bad with an infant in tow!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
A job would be nice, though I had one for part of 2008.

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
River’s first birthday

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I wrote a book. I kept River alive and healthy to his first birthday. I breastfed to 12 months.

9. What was your biggest failure?
This has been a pretty good year. I suppose I wasn’t as productive as I might have been.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
A sprained butt muscle (no joke!) due to a rafting accident. But nothing too serious.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
The Fujitsu Lifebook u810. Beautiful little 1.5 pound computer.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
River’s. He has been a calm, delightful baby and we feel so lucky.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Too many to count – politicians, lenders and corrupt business people – as well as the President of Zimbabwe.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, food, River and savings.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
River peeing in his potty. Guess I need some more sources of excitement.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Duermete mi nino.

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

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wished I’d pumped more, especially during River’s first few weeks. But then again, maybe I don’t.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worried. I wish I could live more in the present, though I’m trying and think I’m doing a bit better.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
With my parents and family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes, I fell in love with River and deepened my love for Mark. I also fall in love daily with all kinds of little things. Today it was with feather-shaped dry leaves on the side of the sidewalk.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Reality junk like Biggest Loser. My husband gives me lots of crap for this. I also love the McNeil Lehrer News Hour.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Our first pediatrician, though hate is a strong word.

24. What was the best book you read?
The Shadow of the Wind or Sombra del Viento. Wow, wow, wow.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Not much time for this either. Arvo Part was a nice discovery, as was Rolando Villazon, Lang Lang, Hesperion XXI, Emma Shaplin, Christopher Parkening and Jordi Savall for more classical and Jose-Luis Orozco for Spanish lullabies, Uruguan Eduardo Darnauchans for Spanish folk and David Berkeley for folk.

26. What did you want and get?
A trip to Panama – time to be immersed in Spanish. Some basic spirituality.

27. What did you want and not get?
A slow cooker and a cast iron soup pot.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
This is a tough one because it’s been hard for me to pay attention for two hours chunks this year. That said, I liked The Italian, the Ganja Queen and the Devil’s Miner.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Slept in a bit, took baby swimming at a friend’s house, received an ice cream cake from hubby. Turned thirty-something.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing really. Perhaps more family nearby. The market not crashing might have helped.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Trying to get out of maternity clothes. And then trying to return to my previous size.

32. What kept you sane?
Childcare!

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Angelina Jolie. I’m a fan of adoption and multicultural families.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Hard to say. I continue to find the Iraq war a tragedy, as I have since the beginning. I am concerned about the lack of resources dedicated to Afghanistan. I’m worried about the lack of a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the protracted conflicts in Sudan, the Con Parenthood has made me increasingly concerned about issues of maternal and child health and work-life balance. I continue to be concerned about poverty, opportunity, gender, health and violence.

35. Who did you miss?
My grandfather.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
All of our babysitters – who are wonderful people. Naomi Wolf, who I met at a reading and who gave an inspiring speech.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
Relax. Your child is going to grow up just fine and you will be fine too.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
This is too difficult for me. Is there a song lyric that talks about starting with a lack of sleep and some big adjustments and eventually calming down and finding oneself quite satisfied?


What are your answers?