A Year in Review - a week or two late.
1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?
breastfed my baby while pushing a stroller full of groceries and holding the hand of my 2 year old son and walking home from the Safeway.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions and will you make more for next year?
resolving to kick ass?! check.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
why, yes. ME!
and other notable babies included: baby Plow, KimYe's baby and of course, the Royal baby, Prince George of Cambridge.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
happily, no. although my darling husband was in heart failure - scary.
5. What countries did you visit?
Canada! But only once or twice, I think.
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
LESS FUCKING STRESS!
reposted from facebook post Jan 11, 2014: Ugh" stressful"; can we outlaw that word? Can we aim to limit its use in 2014? I want a significantly less stressful year dear universe, please oblige.
7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Pax's birth of course. And, alternatively, the day my husband was diagnosed with heart failure.
Other great dates: Pax's first NYE, Pax's first Christmas, Pax's first laugh - when Loic jumped off the couch, the first time Loic said "I love you" - it was to Pax. Trick or Treating and the Halloween Day-Party with our fire ladder truck (stroller complete with flashing red lights), dalmatian (Pax) and fireman (Loic) with firegirl (Mama). Our road trip to Yachats and Seaside, Oregon for July 4. Pax's first photoshoot with Estelia Photography.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
keeping it together. handling it all. getting back to below 130lbs. managing to have happy moments with happy children, despite the chaos.
9. What was your biggest FAIL of the year?
breakdowns in the middle of night. when i am so exhausted and i feel like i have no energy and i really need to sleep and the house is a disaster and my children never sleep and my husband's heart is failing him so he can't have stress so i'd better just RELAX. and deal with it. those moments of weakness, those are my failures.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
no. but my husband suffered enough for all of us. plus Loic has his first +102 degree fever and when to the ER.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
the double stroller. snacks for Pax (to keep him entertained). Husband's Xmas gift - a mint condition PhotoPlay Pin-Up Mag (2nd issue ever!) with original Marilyn Monroe, Betty Grable, Mitzi Gaynor, Vera Ellen, Rita Hayworth - before she was a red-head, and more!
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
my husband (who has been a part of this answer 5 years running) who is still so supportive and loving, and I admire so much his incredible strength and courage with regards to his failing heart. he is self-less, caring and calm, even despite all this bullcrap; the irony that it is his heart that is failing, when his heart is full of love and kindness and passion as well as strength, is not lost on me.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
depressed... appalled. when someone gave the better part of 5 years to a city to engage it's art and cultural and contribute immeasurably to not only the scene he was involved in, but every other scene by way of his fight for people to be able to see shows, is forgotten, or his contributions diminished, those people who forget, or those people who do not pay tribute to his actions, especially when they were there witnessing how hard he fought for things that are now being granted.... the actions of those people depress me. the actions of those people appall me. and i am reminded of how fake and kiss-ass people can be.
14.Where did most of your money go?
Pax. Loic. medical expenses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Pax being born! Christmas!
16. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Pax's song "Thift Shop" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (local Seattle boys!)
also, "Treasure" Bruno Mars and "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry - i think of my boys.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? sadder. but only because of my husband's health issues. i have hope though, and that's important.
ii. thinner or fatter? thinner!!!
iii. richer or poorer? richer in love.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
no regrets (as always)
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
no regrets. (it’s a personal philosophy)..... but if i had to answer. STRESS. and let it get to me.
20. How did you spend Christmas?
Christmas was really important to me this year. My family kind of got hit by a shit storm in October. So I wanted the holiday season to be really special. I kind of went nuts on presents (I'd been shopping since September). Dec 23 I took the day off work to get a couple of last minute things and ended up pushing the stroller up Capitol Hill from downtown... 30lbs of Loic + 22lbs of Pax, + 30lbs of stroller +10lbs of diaper bag +5lbs of blankets, extra clothes, Becu carrier, + presents = >100lbs. Uphill.
Both sets of Grandparents came over for Dec 24 appys and wine, and then again for Christmas dinner. I made everything - vegetarian Christmas! Loic didn't nap so that was fun... but he really enjoyed opening stuff and said "thank you" so much! He and Pax were very loved on.
We had a Christmas redux on Dec 27 with Emily & Elijah and Ryan came too which was really, really special.
22. Did you fall in love in 2013?
I fell in love with my new baby Pax.
23. How many one-night stands?
i am happily married.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Boardwalk Empire. The Good Wife.
25. Do you hate anyone no that you didn't hate this time last year?
hate is the only swear word in my home. I am changing this question to:
25. Did you lose any friends this year?
not officially. but i think i realized who our real friends are.
26. What was the best book you read?
The Night Circus.
The Hunger Game series. I read all 3 in 2-3 weeks while I was on bed-rest.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.
28. What did you want and get?
a beautiful, healthy baby. Check! Check!
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I just saw American Hustle, and it was excellent! I also saw Silver Linings Playbook which was amazing, and World War Z which was much better than I was expecting.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 28. A burlesque friend from NYC, Amber Ray, was visiting and performing in a show on June 23 so me and 2 other girlfriends, April and Jess W, went to the show. We had pre-show appys and the Lola drink - invention of Jess W - at my place with another friend, Boom Boom L'Roux, and the kids + husband. Loic cuted the shit out of "Happy tooooo mama!"
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
less stress.
33. How would you describe your persona fashion concept in 2013?
the “Real Life Pin-Up Homemaker”, and trying to hide the post-preggo belly.
34. What kept you sane?
the phrase "survival mode". finding happy moments amongst the chaos.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
I enjoy Jennifer Lawrence, as an actress she is mega-talented and in interviews she is a weirdo and totally herself - which is awesome. Also, she is pretty. ;)
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
the continued inequality of the LGBT community within our society.
also, the rollout of Obamacare; from the country that brought you Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon.com, we bring you - oh wait, just hold on a sec, it's loading ... it timed out again!! #@*^!
37. Who did you miss?
my burlesque friends... they are all doing so well and i am so happy for them, and we are all busy. but i still miss them. collaborating with them, dancing with them (onstage and off) and just having girlfriends.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
PAX!!!
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013
life is unpredictable and you don't know why things happen or where they will lead you... sometimes the bad shit is just bad shit and you just have to work it out and something wonderful happens not because of it, but in spite of it, good things can come from bad experiences if you let your heart be open to it.
There are no hopeless situations; there are only men who have grown hopeless about them.
Clare Booth Luce (1903 - 1987)
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.
And sings the tune
Without the words,
and never stops at all.
Emily Dickinson (1830 - 1886)
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
to the world: "you held me down, but I got up, get ready 'cause I've had enough, I see it all, I see it now ... I've got the eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire, 'cause I am a champion and you're gonna hear me roar!"