…from a couple with a kid, to a family – as a colleague of mine put it. While I definitely think that the three of us (and the two of us) were a family already, I do see his point.
This in itself makes 2010 a very special year to us and I thought it deserved a bit of a review (the questions are taken from another blog I follow):
1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?
Gave birth to a baby boy
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t have any for 2010. For this year, it is to lower my expectations in terms of juggling family life/work/household.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I did!
Maja gave birth to the beautiful Mina, giving Ema the best gift in the world, a sister.
A friend of mine, Petra, had a gorgous baby boy, Christian.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no one really close to me.
5. What countries did you visit?
New – Latvia and Estonia.
Other than that: Germany, Spain.
6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
Realistically – not much. Unrealistically – more alone time with Mark.
7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
26 October – the day our beautiful baby Nestor was born.
7 January – it was not a very merry Christmas, to say the least.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through a difficult pregnancy and having an unmedicated labour (yay hypnobirthing!).
Getting my driver’s licence (first attempt).
9. What was your biggest failure?
My time management.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No
11. What was the best thing you bought?
A new kitchen table. Technically this is a gift from my parents but we picked it out. A heavy, cozy, oak table, can’t wait to enjoy many family dinners and board games on it.
For myself – a fabulous dress for Ivan and Sanja’s wedding.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Una’s – she has become a wonderful, loving, truly compassionate little person.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Not depressed really, but I did not appreciate the way that Mark was being treated at work. He is simply brilliant in what he does (and no I am not biased) and even though his bosses know that, his decisions and planning were constantly challenged and questioned by people who politically correctly said know way less than him.
14. Where did most of your money go?
The normal stuff – mortgage, groceries, bills.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Meeting baby Mili, a.k.a. Nestor.
16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Sinterklaasje kom maar binnen 🙂
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?
(A) I was very happy last year too, but having Nestor join our family added a new dimension.
(B) Thinner – this was caused by my weird pregnancy nausea. I am down to below my pre-Una weight and I am not really happy about that.
(C) Probably the same.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Reading.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Spending time on the internet. And worrying about things that don’t matter.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas #1 (25.12)- Spent with my mum and dad (and the four of us, of course). It was wonderful, ate a lot, played a lot, cuddled a lot. Perfect really.
Christmas #2 (7.1) – yet to come
21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Yes, with Mark – each new experience we go through together make me love him more. With Una – she tells me every day that she loves me more than anything in the whole world and my heart wants to just about explode. With Nestor – the rush of love experienced the first time I lay my eyes on him can not be put into words.
22. What was your favorite TV program?
Did not really watch much TV at all. I have gotten hooked on Glee lately.
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No
24. What was the best book you read?
Last year I read way less than what I would have liked to, but I enjoyed The Glass Castle, The Help and The Other Hand.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Una – she looooves to sing and makes up her own songs all the time. According to my dad (he and my sister are the musical ones in our family), Una is not what you would call musically gifted. I have made it my mission to teach her not to care.
26. What did you want and get?
A healthy baby.
27. What did you want and not get?
I would rather not talk about that.
28. What was your favorite film of this year?
I know it is not new but I loooved Mama Mia. It makes me want to sing on top of my voice. I watched it more times than I want to admit last year, including during waiting for contractions to start after my waters had broken.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 33. It was a pretty low key celebration, with a few friends.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Better health for my parents.
Winning the lotto would have been cool too.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Spent most of it in maternity clothes. Ended 2010 with a shopping spree and got myself two awesome dresses and a great skirt.
32. What kept you sane?
Mark’s understanding.
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Can’t think of anyone really.
34. What political issue stirred you the most?
Politics in general makes me depressed. I try to follow as little as possible as to stay informed without getting involved too much.
35. Who did you miss?
My family and friends. Pretty much the only thing that sucks about being an expat.
36. Who was the best new person you met?
Nestor
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Problems that look huge today, you might laugh at tomorrow.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Sweet child o’ mine
Sweet love of mine
Three words for everything 