2004: Year in Review

Some people won’t drink before noon. I won’t eat blueberry pie before dinner. Thus necessitating some major time-killage until the little hand lands on the 5. So I present to you this year’s YIR, complete with handy bullet points.

Looking back: Highs and lows of 2004

Getting pregnant. This was definitely Year of the Belly, since I conceived somewhere around the end of March and have been percolating up until this very minute. I’ve learned a whole lot about responsibility, maturity and sacrifice — and Beanster isn’t even here yet.
Buying the house. With a lot of dedication and some of the above-mentioned sacrifice, we were able to save more than $10,000 this year. Pretty fucking amazing, in my opinion. We bought in July, moved in in August, and have been turning this little smurfy Cape Cod into home ever since. I’m rather in love with it, actually.
Grandmatt’s passing. He’s my father’s father, and was always strong and encouraging of my artistic talents and a great believer in my abilities. We got to see him one last time in April when we drove to Florida for a visit, and I’m glad we did. Grandmatt died within a week of Iain and I finding out we were pregnant. A superstitious Catholic part of me believes there’s a purpose behind that. Love you, Grandmatt.
Quitting smoking. I’ve smoked since senior year of high school, for no real good reason. After about eight years of money down the drain and ashtray-breath I quit cold turkey the day after I took the E.P.T. test. I’d like to say I haven’t looked back, but of course I have; still, despite wistful glances I’ve kicked that habit for good. Iain quit cold-turkey on the day of our second wedding anniversary, which was an awesome gesture, even if it did turn him into a nasty bastard for about a week.

I think I’ve grown up a lot this year. I’m taking the important things a lot more seriously, and I like to think I’ve got my shit together. I also like to think that I’m well prepared to bring this baby into a harsh, Dubya-ruled world, and raise him to be a good man.

And I met quite a few of my goals from last year, too, which is cool.

Looking ahead: Goals for 2005

Save another $10,000, or at least enough to make some larger improvements to the house.
Successfully birth this bambino and get him to his first birthday without major calamity.
Find a balance between work and home, husband and baby, immediate and extended families, self and others.
Kick Iain’s ass at Monopoly. Just once.

Bottoms up, everyone.

December 31, 2004 | Filed Under sappy crap