1. What did you do in 2012 that you’d never done before?
Defended my dissertation, visited San Francisco, went overdue, birthed an 8 lb. baby without drugs, started but failed at NaBloPoMo.

2. Did you keep your 2012 resolutions, and will you make more this year?
I figure I was too busy preparing to defend my dissertation to make a resolution last year this time. This year, I’ll aim to lose the remaining baby weight, learn new things at work, blog more, and make a decision about a more permanent residence (these aren’t necessarily in order of importance).

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Can’t get much closer than the person in my own skin! Several friends (from high school, college, AND grad school) as well as a cousin also had babies this year. I’m thinking this will be one of those kindergarten-class-size boom years.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
My uncle.

5. What countries did you visit?
Didn’t leave the borders of the USA this year. I’m sad about that, as I love to travel. I suppose living in Newbornlandia once again was enough of an adventure, though.

6. What would you like to have in 2013 that you lacked in 2012?
More RAM so I can blog and digiscrap faster. And more time to blog and digiscrap.

7. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
It’s a tie between finishing my aforementioned Ph.D. and birthing an 8-pounder without drugs.

8. What was your biggest failure?
It was a good year for me. I guess I’d say… I failed to keep up with digiscrapping my Project 365 photos? I do intend to catch up with that project…

9. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Going a week overdue was about the most discomfort I suffered this year.

10. What was the best thing you bought?
girls clothes– the cute, it’s just so much fun. I let myself go a little overboard. (lame, I know. I resolve to do better on this one in 2013.)

11. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Jayne’s and Myriam’s. Because in addition to making us very proud and happy, they are awesome at all things kindergarten, and sleeping through the night, respectively.

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The Sandy Hook shooter.

13. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, childcare, savings, insurance, clothes, eating out.

14. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?
a) Happier. This time last year I was freaking out about my dissertation defense. Never having to go through that again makes me VERY happy.
b) fatter, what with the baby weight and the desk job and the holiday chocolate and all. 😉
c) about the same, as additional expenses will balance out the salary increase

15. What do you wish you’d done more of?
posted here more often, especially to capture the new experiences of having Myriam

16. What do you wish you’d done less of?
I wouldn’t change how full this year was for anything. I suppose I wish I hadn’t needed to spend so much time sleeping. Pregnancy left me too exhausted to do all the fun things with Jayne and Ben I like to do, and to blog/digiscrap the things we did do.

17. Did you fall in love in 2012?
Yes. On September 28th.

18. What was the best new book you read?
Tana French’s The Likeness

19. What was your favorite film of the year?
Skyfall. I thought the opening graphics and Adele’s song were especially gorgeous. And because it was a great date night with Ben.

20. What kept you sane?
Ben. My co-workers. And chocolate.

21. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2012.
I don’t want a tenure track job after all– the work I do now suits me far better.