2016 recap

Every year I see Jess take this survey and I think, I should have done that! Well, this year I am.

1. What did you do in 2016 that you’d never done before?
Had a son.  Became a manager.  Potty trained a kid.  Visited a second island in Hawaii. Watched the Cubs win the World Series!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Last year I didn't write it down on the blog, but I had hoped to keep up with sending out cards for birthdays. I LOVE getting a card in the mail and my friends always are happy to get it. I mostly get them to friends on time... I will make a resolution for 2017.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I did! But also a good friend from law school and two neighbors.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
Sadly our trip to Costa Rica got nixed because of Zika fears and my pregnancy, so no international trips in 2016. I did travel to the Big Island in Hawaii, Boston for work, and my parents place in Michigan a few times. It was certainly an off year for traveling for me.

6. What would you like to have in 2017 that you lacked in 2016?
Assurance that our renovation of our home won't go totally over budget.

7. What moments from 2016 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Seeing Wes struggle to breathe while in the NICU. Jumping up and down for joy when the Cubs won with neighbors. The dread that followed the election. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Becoming a manager at work. I beat out a few coworkers and all but one of my employees is younger than me. So far I think that I am doing a decent job?

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not being patient enough with Izzy when I was in my sleep-deprived state with Wes as a newborn.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Other than a tough c-section, nothing major except for bronchitis and a sinus infection that took a month to finally go away. 

11. What was the best thing you bought?
A monthly cleaning service for our house. I still have to clean but I don't have to spend all of my time cleaning.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Izzy for totally stepping up as a big sister. She is so proud of Wes and to help us do things for him. It's the most adorable thing.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Trump. Racists.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Daycare and our mortgage.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Completing our family and never being pregnant again. Hillary Clinton as President.

16. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Sadder simply because of the election.
b) thinner or fatter? Thinner because I am no longer pregnant!
c) richer or poorer? Technically richer because CP and I both got pay raises but having two kids in daycare means money is quite tight.

17. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Sleeping, working out, and eating better. Volunteering to make phone calls for the election to people in the Midwest.

18. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying about how I was going to handle two kids. It's tough but both are still alive so far...

19. How did you spend Christmas?
At home. We opened stockings as a family and then the gifts from in-laws before my sister, her husband, and my parents came over. We had brunch before opening gifts. Izzy was excited to show "Frozen" to the crew so we watched that (in lieu of a nap for her) before my aunt, uncle, and two cousins came over for dinner. It was an exhausting day.

20. Did you fall in love in 2016?
Yes- with Wes.

21. What was your favorite TV program?
Game of Thrones or Stranger Things.

22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I already hated DJT so that isn't new....but I certainly hate him even more than I did last year.

23. What did you want and get?
A second child to complete our family. A fun trip with Izzy to Hawaii.

24. What did you want and not get?
Hillary Clinton as PEOTUS.

25. What was your favorite film of this year?
I only saw one film in the movie theater this year because it is simply something I don't do, but it was AMAZING. Bad Moms was hilarious.

26. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 38 on a Saturday. CP forgot to wish me happy birthday that morning so I was in a bad mood. I also had bronchitis and felt like crap so I was cranky for the morning but told myself to suck it up anyway. That night we went to a neighbor's house for a party, I had some champagne and felt much better. :-)

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2016?
Maternity clothes for the first half of the year. Nursing bras and easy to pull up shirts. This fall I worked on trying to look nicer in general.

28. What kept you sane?
My one day of telework a week. Facetime with CP when he is away on work travel. My parents. A monthly cleaning service.

29. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Kristen Bell has been entertaining me all year. Izzy loves her in Frozen and she was fantastic in Bad Moms and The Good Place.

30. What political issue stirred you the most?
Everything surrounding the election and Trump. This will continue into 2017.

31. Who did you miss?
Friends that live all over the country. Hopefully I get to see them in 2017.

32. How many miles did you run this year?

31.77 miles. I was pregnant half the year, had to wait until September to start running, and then I lost December to bronchitis. Here's hoping 2017 is a better year for running and just working out in general.