Gwen's 2009 in a Nutshell

1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
So many things! I turned one, I started daycare, I stayed overnight at Gramma and Grandpa's house, I ate an ice cream cone, I slept in a tent, and I learned a BUNCH of new words. And I'm just getting started!

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I resolved to learn how to walk, at which I succeeded admirably. (I also learned how to run and hop.) This year, I intend to master doorknobs.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
None. I don't have a passport yet.

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
The ability to fetch my own snacks. Or bend my parents to my will.

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
I don't really have much of a head for dates. But I guess April 27th, the day I started daycare and my mom returned to work, was kind of a big deal.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Definitely learning to walk. Do you have any idea how much stuff I can get into, now that I'm upright?

9. What was your biggest failure?
Failure? Pshaw! I blow raspberries in the face of failure.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I had a couple of owies, but no serious ones. I went to the doctor a bunch of times and ended up on antibiotics for a throat and ear infection. That wasn't fun, but it went away soon enough. And everyone was so impressed with me for being so brave and using my inhaler mask for my cough, too.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
I don't really get a say in how money gets spent around here. If I did, you can bet there would be a lot more bananas in the place.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Well, mine, obviously. And Mom and Dad are pretty great too. Dad knows this terrific game where he runs around and hides and then jumps out at me. It is HILARIOUS! I wish you could see it. And Mom, she knows like a ton of songs, and will always sing them for me if I ask. I think I must have asked her to sing Frosty the Snowman about ... well, I only know as high as ten, but I bet it was even more times than that.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Appalled and depressed? Does that mean throwing myself on the floor and having a tantrum? If so, the answer is Mom and Dad, when they wouldn't let me eat before dinner or watch an Elmo video in the middle of the day. Appalling and depressing, indeed.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Again, I don't get a say in the finances around here. But I'm going to guess that "my" money went to daycare, diapers, clothes, and groceries.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Seeing either one of my Grandpas.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
"If You're Happy And You Know It." I am! And I do! Thanks for asking!

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

i. Happier or sadder? Happier - sleeping through the night on a regular basis really did make me a more cheerful person.
ii. Thinner or fatter? I don't know, but I am definitely taller.
iii. Richer or poorer? I have a lot more toys - does that count?

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Playing on my slide.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

Brushing my teeth.

20. How did you spend Christmas?

On Christmas Eve, we went to church and I got to be in the Christmas pageant! Then, we went to my Gramma Karen's and Grandpa Keith's house and we opened a lot of presents. The next morning, Grannie Maureen and Grandpa Ron came over and we opened even MORE presents. Then my mom spent the whole rest of the day cooking, which was silly because all I ate was vegetable dip.

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I don't think so.

23. How many one-night stands?
I don't know what that means, so I guess I didn't have any.

24. What was your favorite TV program?

I get to watch In the Midnight Garden and Blue's Clues at daycare. They are both highly excellent.

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No, that would require more of an attention span than I possess.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Monster at The End of This Book. What an exciting roller coaster of a story - and I don't want to spoil it for you, but the ending has a terrific twist!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Raffi.

28. What did you want and get?

Lots of quality time with my family.

29. What did you want and not get?
More cookies.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The only one I sat through from start to finish was "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". I was a little bit afraid of the Grinch, but the music made me very happy.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned one! Family and friends came to visit me and my mom let me have CAKE. Cake is AWESOME. Also, my mom's friend Amber made me a crown, which just goes to show how well she knows me.

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

Being able to talk, so that I could issue my orders more clearly.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
I am a big fan of hats. You can't have too many, I say. Two or three hats on one head is a fabulous statement.

34. What kept you sane?
Sane? ... What are you talking about?

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Elmo. So red, so fuzzy, so shrill! What's not to love?

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Full voting rights for toddlers. I'm in charge of the letter-writing campaign.

37. Who did you miss?
My Grandpas.

38. Who was the best new person you met?

Denise, or as I call her, "neese", who looks after me while Mom and Dad are working.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:

If you say please, they will probably give it to you.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"I want it all, and I want it now!" by Queen.