2018 was a challenging year. Probably one of the most challenging for me so far. It’s not a year where I look back and have tons of things to call out. It is a year where I focused on one thing – being kind to myself – and learned throughout the year just how wise a choice that was for me. It’s also a year I’m proud I was strong enough to endure. The below tweet from @IntrovertDoodle sort of summarizes my feelings on the year.
One of the biggest things in 2018 was finding out in May that we were expecting a baby girl, set to arrive in February 2019. Q wasn’t sure what to think but seems to (mostly) have come around to the idea of “Baby Sister” joining our little family. Exciting times as we are approaching these final impatient weeks. The post-holiday clean-up has also meant getting down to business to get things set-up for her arrival. I think we’re finally (well, mostly) ready to go!
Typically I see lots of shows and concerts, but not this year. I can’t complain though with the ones we did get to see. In May, we finally got to see Hamilton – a show of special significance to us as it was playing in the delivery room for Q’s arrival! I have a much overdue post on that I’ll get out later this month. That same weekend, we also went to see The Magician at The Nomad. Can’t say enough great things about that show, either!
We didn’t eat out as much as I typically do. New restaurants came and went and I’ll admit I’m more than out of the loop. But I’m okay with that. We had a wonderful dinner at Upland in Flatiron and met my friend N for brunch in the West Village at The Loyalist. We stayed more local for my birthday and had this fabulous meal at Restaurant Serenade in Chatham. I’ve recently found a lot of comfort in baking – both as a way of feeling a connection to my mom and to celebrate coming together with family and friends. I look forward to doing more of it in 2019.
I didn’t travel much either but the trips I took were significant ones. I reconnected with my writing and the inner calm it facilitates with a cross county trip to Write Doe Bay in April. And while this year has probably been one where I have written the least out of the last 10 years, I’m getting back into writing in a new and necessary way (through pieces such as this one for Motherly) – and can’t wait for the chance to get back to a future Write retreat at some point.
We also took our first true family vacation in August to visit friends in Denver. The trip also marked Q’s first flight which, all things considered, went pretty well. He can’t stop talking about airplanes and the new friends he made out west. Q also fell in love with animals in 2018, so we spent lots of time visiting zoos (specifically the Turtleback Zoo here in New Jersey and the Denver Zoo) and aquariums (like the Camden Aquarium).
I took a very different approach to exercise as well. I spent the first part of the year really focused on yoga, which I found an amazing way to calm down both my body and mind. I didn’t exercise for most of my first and second trimesters since I was so sick and had major fatigue, but got back on my Peloton bike in December for some third trimester exercise.
I’ll be taking a look next week at some resolutions for 2019. Keeping it simple again and hopefully achievable. What was good to you in 2018?
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