Year in Recap: 2010 (Glenn's PoV)

I really liked Heather's responses to these questions, so I decided to take a stab at them myself. Apologies for any redundancy.

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

So many things. I'm sure I'm missing a few things, but here's a few...

Trained for a triathlon. Did the Krispy Kreme challenge (for the first and last time). Learned to swim freestyle. Took a photography class and learned how to do more than just point-and-shoot with a camera. Got pregnant. Found out we were expecting triplets. Stayed overnight in the hospital (as a visitor, not a patient). Went from no kids to being a father of three. Learned what being a parent feels like. Held my dead infant son Oliver in my arms. Sat in a deathwatch for my infant daughter Charlotte. Held Charlotte as she died. Experienced kangaroo care with our surviving daughter Eliza. Celebrated each tiny victory Eliza achieved. Learned a tremendous amount of hospital jargon in a short time. Realized how fortunate parents of healthy full-term infants truly are. Discovered unknown reserves of strength in myself and (especially) in Heather. Celebrated our first Thanksgiving and Christmas in our own home rather than traveling to be with family.


2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?


I think my main resolution for last year was to get in better shape. I kept it really well up until the point where Heather got pregnant, then sick, then put on bed rest - I wasn't able to keep up the motivation to stick with the exercise program when it was just me doing it by myself.

In the coming year, my resolutions are as follows:

• Start exercising and eating better again. I really liked being in better shape early last year, and I've gained nearly 20 pounds in the last six months due to inactivity plus eating too much fast food and comfort food. (Yes, I'm a stress eater.)
  
• Improve my time management and planning skills. I'm not very good at this to begin with, and when Eliza comes home from the hospital, it'll be that much more important.
  
• Be the best father to Eliza that I can be.
  



3. Did anyone close to you give birth?


Heather, of course. Our friend had twin girls this spring. Also, one of my co-workers and his wife had their first daughter only about a month before our babies were born. Every time I see their (full-term) baby who's "only a month older than Eliza" by birth date, it's striking what a difference in size there is. I think she outweighs Eliza by about a factor of five.


4. Did anyone close to you die?


Our babies Charlotte and Oliver.


5. What countries did you visit?

None. We would have gone on a Caribbean cruise in the spring but had to cancel it due to pregnancy complications.


6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Healthy, living triplets. Since that obviously isn't possible, I'll settle for a healthy Eliza who can come home to us.


7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I'm not very good at remembering specific dates, but here are a few:



• September 8 - The triplets were born
  
• September 11 - Oliver died suddenly
  
• October 1 - Charlotte died after a steady decline of several days
  
• December 27 - The triplets' due date
  



8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?


Staying reasonably sane.


9. What was your biggest failure?

Not spending more time with Charlotte and Oliver while they were alive. Every second would have been precious.


10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing worse than falling off my bicycle and scraping my elbow up. Heather and the babies had to handle far worse this year.


11. What was the best thing you bought?

A shed to store things in. We would never have been able to make room for all of the baby stuff in this house otherwise. Second place goes to our chest freezer for milk storage. When Eliza comes home, she'll need that milk!


12. Where did most of your money go?

Baby stuff was the main "new" expense this year, but wasn't that big of a slice of the overall pie. Other than that, the usual places - mortgage, food, car payments, etc.


13. What did you get really excited about?

Pregnancy! Triplet pregnancy!!!


14. What song will always remind you of 2010?

I don't really associate songs with specific dates or events, but songs that I heard enough this year to stick in my memory include "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga) and "Little Lion Man" (Mumford & Sons). Whether I'll think of 2010 when I hear them in the future, though, I don't know.


15. Compared to this time last year, are you:



• happier or sadder?
Yes.

• thinner or fatter?
Fatter, definitely.

• richer or poorer?
About the same.




16. What do you wish you’d done more of?


Visiting Oliver and Charlotte while they were alive. Planning for the worst. Taking better care of Heather while she was on bedrest.


17. What do you wish you’d done less of?


Being naively optimistic about the pregnancy and the health of the babies. Worrying about the financial and lifestyle implications of triplets instead of counting my blessings. Thinking selfish thoughts about my own short-term wants and desires rather than thinking about the future.


18. How did you spend Christmas?

See Heather's answer. Couldn't put it better myself.


19. What was your favorite TV program?

Modern Family.


20. What were your favorite books of the year?

I enjoyed reading the Sookie Stackhouse books as Heather finished with them. Also, late in the year, but I think it counts anyway - Heather got me a "Geek Dad" book for Christmas that I've been enjoying reading already.


21. What was your favorite music from this year?


*shrug*


22. What were your favorite films of the year?

I liked Inception, Toy Story 3, and How to Train Your Dragon.


23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I can't even remember - how sad is that? I think Heather made me breakfast, and I know she wrote a sweet blog post, but beyond that I really don't remember. I turned 28 - far too young to be this forgetful!


24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Healthy triplets coming home to us.


25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?

...what?


26. What kept you sane?

That's a leading question, but I would absolutely say that Heather's love and support has kept me far more sane than I would otherwise have been after this last year. She's an incredibly strong person.


27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.


Plans for the future are well and good, but if things change - and they will - you need to be prepared to roll with it.