1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
The only thing I can really think of is getting pregnant again with Jack and going on vacation while super morning sick. I'd never done that before! Other than that, this year was pretty routine.
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Think I'm just going to stick with what I wrote last year, especially since I failed miserably again this year. I did, however, finish the Christmas stocking for the new baby so I didn't have to worry about a huge embroidery project while having two little ones. I think my main priority will be getting Jack's baby album done here in the next few weeks if I can. Then focus on the rest later. My blog will most likely be put on hold, but there's always hope! (Even if the past two years I haven't kept up with it)
Here's what I wrote last year:
I usually don't make New Year's resolutions because I believe you can set your mind to do something and achieve it anytime of the year. Last year my goal was to keep up with my blog (failed miserably!) and to keep up with Jack's baby album. I did keep up with his baby book, making note of all of his teeth and stats from his Dr. appointments, but I still need to tackle the huge job of starting his photo album. After much consideration, I've decided that instead of doing a paper album for him, I will do it digitally. I LOVE the paper version of scrapbooks, but I just don't have the time or energy anymore to complete this in a timely manner! So, I will renew my resolution from last year, and vow to complete his photo albums this year. I would also like to continue to update our family blog, so it's a new year, a new start, right? Well, we'll have to see how it goes! ;)
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
This year our close friends welcomed baby Kayla on February 7th. She was their 3rd daughter. Then my sister welcomed my nephew, Thomas William Gregg V on September 4th. He will go by Thomas as his daddy goes by Tommy and Tommy's father goes by Tom.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, this category was quiet for 2013. My cousin Lynn lost her Mother in Law, but I never met her and she lived a very full and happy life.
5. What countries did you visit?
2013 was fairly quiet travel wise. We got pregnant in June, and I was so sick for the first trimester that traveling to Martha's Vineyard was a major hurdle for me at the end of July. We visited Joe's parents in MA for Thanksgiving and Christmas and that was enough traveling for me! It's so hard to travel when pregnant! I'm looking forward to my Dad coming to visit in April to see the new baby and my Step-Dad Jon coming to visit sometime around there as well. Can't wait!
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
I'm hoping to get into a routine of having 2 kids. I remember transitioning from none to 1 was a process, so I'm hoping that it will be a little easier transitioning since I already know what to expect. I anticipate that it will take a little while to get everyone in a new routine, and for me to manage on little to no sleep! Hoping this little girl is a sleeper!
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
In February, we had a major snow storm that dropped 3 feet of snow in under 24 hours. We were literally snowed into our house for 3 days straight. We couldn't even leave our driveway because of the amount of snow on the street. It fell so fast that the plows couldn't keep up with the accumulation. It took 3-4 days for the large plows and huge bulldozers to reach us to dig us out. Thankfully we had power during the storm!
2-24-13 Jack turned 2. We had a nice family party for him this year in MA with a Dump Truck theme, his favorite obsession.
In June we got pregnant with our baby girl. We had been trying since January so we were so excited to finally be pregnant!
At the end of July we headed to Martha's Vineyard for our annual vacation with the Saucier's and Keon's. We found an awesome house this year, perfect to fit all of our growing families! In 2014 we will be going without the Keon's because they are welcoming a new baby at the beginning of July. We couldn't be happier for them, but will miss them this year.
In august we found out our baby was a little girl and she was perfectly healthy from all of the genetic testing. Such a blessing!
9-4-13 my nephew Thomas William Gregg V was born.
My dad traveled to Italy to visit my cousin with my Step Mom. It was his first trip to Europe and they had a blast! My cousin is stationed in Italy for 3 years.
In October my cousin left Italy for a 6 month deployment to Bahrain. He is scheduled to return in April, and I'm praying for his safe return.
Christmas this year was really fun with Jack. He finally understands what Christmas is all about with Santa etc. We're still working on the real meaning of Christmas, but he was so excited this year. His excitement makes me excited too. That was my best gift this year, watching his face on Christmas morning when he realized that Santa ate bites of cookies and drank the milk we left for him. And best of all Santa left him a huge firetruck, just what he asked for!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
My biggest achievement by far was getting pregnant again. Because I was back in shape when I got pregnant I was able to keep up with my exercise up until about 28 weeks. Once my sciatic nerve was acting up the exercise was actually making it worse, so I had to stop. Being more fit has helped tremendously since I still have to lift my heavy boy from time to time and keep up with taking care of him.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I don't really like to look at the world with the cup half empty, but I guess my biggest failure was not keeping up with Jack's photo albums or keeping my blog posts up to date. Hopefully that will change in 2014! (well the photo part at least!)
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was pretty healthy in 2013. It wasn't an illness but pretty much from 6 Weeks to 13 Weeks I was sick all day long. I never actually threw up, but was queasy the entire day, from the second I woke up to the second I went to bed. It made it hard to eat or function really. I lost 5 pounds during my first trimester because nothing sounded appealing and every time I put something in my mouth I felt like I was going to throw up. Thankfully the doctor gave me some medicine to help with the nausea and it helped me get through our trip to Martha's Vineyard. Then shortly after that I started my 2nd trimester and started feeling better!
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Hmm. I didn't really buy much for me this year. Other than a few pairs of maternity pants, I can't think of much. Since I was so much bigger when I started my pregnancy with Jack, none of my maternity pants have fit. Even now with only 6 weeks to go, I still can't wear the same pants. I guess I will have to say the best thing we bought was the twin bed for Jack and the furniture for our baby girl.
12. Who's behavior merited celebration?
I want to celebrate my friends again this year. I couldn't have made it through the year without their love and support. My sister is always a support for me as well, and I couldn't have made it through the year without her either. I am really blessed to have such special people in my life!
13. Who's behavior made you appalled or depressed?
I like what I had to say last year, so I will just re post it. " I don't want to go into much detail here, but I will say that after this year, I value people in my life that are honest, selfless and care for others. My time is much more limited now, and I want to fill it with people who truly matter to me!"
14. Where did most of your money go?
This year, we spent most of our money on Jack and preparing for our baby girl. We also put in a gas fireplace insert so we had to redo the mantle and add granite around the fireplace and hearth. Joe finished it just in time for the year to come to a close!
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We are so excited to be having a baby girl. Even though it still doesn't seem real yet, we can't wait to add another baby to the family. It will be an adjustment for sure, but I can't wait for her arrival on 2-17-14!
16. What songs will always remind you of 2013?
The Harlem Shake (along with all of the videos posted), What Does the Fox Say? by Ylvis, Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke, Taylor Swift's RED album, Toad the Wet Sprocket's new album New Constellation and Colton Dixon's A Messenger Album.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? I will say rounder due to pregnancy! :-)
c) richer or poorer? poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
I wish I would have kept up with my blog more since I have a lot of catch up to do! I also wish I would have started Jack's baby album because it is easier to maintain something as you go rather than go back and try to remember all of the special things. I'm very happy I took so many notes!
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
This will probably be my answer every year, but I wish I would worry less. In the end, it doesn't make anything better or change the outcome any. I need to try to internalize a quote my friend Krista gave to me in college, "Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength.” This is very true!
20. How did you spend Christmas?
This year we drove to Joe's parent's house in MA for Christmas. On Christmas eve we went over to Joe's aunt Mary Jo's house an then spent Christmas morning and afternoon with Joe's whole family at Mericia and Virgilio's house. Jack was so excited for Christmas this year. He loved visiting Santa. He couldn't understand why he had to stop to take a pic with Santa, he wanted to "talk to him". He said, "Hi Santa! How are you?" it was the cutest thing ever. We left cookies and milk for Santa before we went to bed and he was thrilled in the morning to see Santa had come to visit him. His favorite gifts include the fire truck he got from Santa, his car mat he got from Grandpa Steve and Grandma Sandy, and his tricycle he got from Joe's parents. Joe and I also got jack an airplane that can hold his matchbox cars. He loves that as well! We are still working on understanding the true meaning of Christmas with the birth of Jesus, but overall, Christmas was a success!
21. Did you fall in love in 2013?
I did! I fall more in love with my little boy every day. It is such a blessing to be able to be home with him each day to watch him learn and grow. He is like a little sponge and is learning so much everyday. He amazes me with everything that he knows and understands. Being a Mommy is a true blessing! And I'm falling more in love with this little girl in my belly as we anticipate her arrival.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
These are the same as last year: Parenthood, So You Think You Can Dance, Modern Family, Revenge and Bachelor/Bachelorette. (I also watch lots of other shows too, but these are my favorite!)
23. Do you dislike anyone now that you didn’t dislike this time last year?
No.
24. What was the best book you read?
I still don't have much time when it comes to reading. I read the first book of the Hunger Games Trilogy and am half way into the second book. To be honest I was surprised that I didn't get into them as much as I was anticipating since a couple of people said they loved them. I also need to re-read my infant sleep books before this baby arrives or at least
skim the main points. If I have time I'd also like to start and finish the book I got for Christmas but we will have to wait and see on that one! It's a James Patterson book though, so I'm sure once I start it won't take me more than a day or two to finish. He's one of my favorite authors!
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
I've continued to listen to all types of music this year as well. I think the album I was most excited for was the new album from Toad the Wet Sprocket. They are one of my favorite bands of all time. I got to see them in concert when I was in college and then shortly thereafter they decided to call it quits. But they are back together now and their new album "New Constellation" is really good! I still listen to their old stuff all the time because I love it, but I really couldn't wait for new music from them.
26. What did you want and get?
This year, I wanted to get pregnant again and add to our family. And our dream came true! It took a little while to get pregnant, but I truly believe that God knows best, so his timing is the perfect timing.
27. What did you want and not get?
Well, my guest bathroom is still not done. We got a new fireplace instead. I guess it could be worse, but I really can't wait for it to get redone. Maybe in 2014???
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Wow, this is really sad. I can't think of any movie/film that I watched that was worth anything. I did start watching Downton Abbey the TV show on PBS and loved it! I also watched the Netflix only series, Orange is the New Black and I liked it so much mainly because it was based on a true story. After watching the first season I also read the book about the true story of what happened.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
This year I turned 35. This year I was so sick with morning sickness I didn't do much of anything. I was so exhausted and nauseous that I'm sure the best part of my birthday was going to bed! I usually don't do much of anything for my birthday anyway, so it wasn't too big of a disappointment!
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Nothing really. I seem to be pretty satisfied with life and the ups and downs of it all!
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
For the first half of the year, I was able to dress nicely with more jewelry and accessories. But once I got pregnant in June, I couldn't stand anything tight against my belly so I had to break out my maternity clothes. Most of the pants (besides the PJ's and yoga pants) were too big. So I did have to buy a few pairs of pants and I treated myself to a couple of new shirts, but for the most part, all of my tops have worked. I'm a little sad to be going backward to wearing clothes that are easy for nursing again, but eventually I will be able to up my fashion a bit. It's all worth it! I will be back to carrying a diaper bag too!
32. What kept you sane?
Play dates with my mommy friends, texting and getting together with my neighbor and my conversations with my sister.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
These days, I don't really pay much attention to celebrities. I do however get addicted to the Bachelor, and rest assured that if there is a story in People magazine about the Bachelor and or Bachelorette, it will be sitting on my coffee table! And a new season is starting on Monday, so rest assured I will be watching!
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Not sure if this is considered political or not, but I'm not a fan of the new Common Core adopted nationally in Education. Because I am not teaching in the classroom right now I mainly have the perspective as to what it is like from my teacher friends, but it doesn't sound like it's in the best interest for the kids. And way more paperwork and documentation for our students. I feel that when people make decisions for our classrooms without consulting the teachers who are in the classroom full time living it day in and day out, we get further and further from what our students actually need. The more documentation and assessing we have to do, the less time we have for actually teaching the concepts needed. It's sad really. Because the kiddos miss out, and it will burn out our teachers. I'm hoping that by the time I decide to go back to work things will be swinging the other way again.
35. Who did you miss?
Hands down, my Mommy. Having Jack has made me so much more appreciative of everything my mom did for me as a child and I wish I could have talked with her to tell her that. I also wish I could ask her the million questions I have each day, knowing that she would have the perfect answer. It's so hard not being able to share these moments with her and I hope she is watching from above and is proud. I will miss her forever!
36. Who was the best new person you met?
While I didn't meet anyone new, I did get lots closer to my neighbor Brenda. We text during the day and also at night, take walks around the neighborhood and support each other with whatever we need. It's nice knowing someone is across the street who can help if needed. Her daughter is in High School now, so she is also a potential babysitter if we ever need one!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
What I wrote last year rings true today so I will repost it: "When all else fails, your family is always there for you, no matter what!"
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