I spent a few minutes the other day jotting down a list of all the things I remember about 2011:

• I started out 2011 sick with something called tracheitis. Which shouldn’t have surprised me, having a toddler (aka a germ magnet).
• In mid-January, I wrote a post that generated over 10,000 page views in one weekend. I was on cloud 9 for a few days. I think that weekend remains part of why I continue to blog–that feeling of connecting with others.
• My little family had a few vacations in 2011. One that was just for me & my husband–New Orleans. And one that was for the 3 of us plus my parents and siblings. We survived both vacations. Not only that, but we even had fun! Except for the weird voodoo incident. I also went to Orlando alone for work, but that was a whirlwind 1-night trip that was completely boring and uneventful.
• Jax got his hand bit by dogs twice. And I subsequently developed a fear of dogs.
• Jax and I built our first snowman together. It was about his size. So cute.
• I stopped going to therapy altogether. (I must admit, I really miss my awesome therapist Michelle R.) My anxiety is under control, I no longer feel depressed sometimes, and I can cope much better with the bad nights of sleep–which have certainly decreased during 2011. Hallelujah!
• Jax started a new daycare, which we really love. I do miss his previous daycare provider, Shannon, though. But this one is close to home, and he adores it. He even has a best friend, Jeremy.
• My husband and I visited more museums this year than in the few years leading up to it. My favorite museum trips were when we took Jax to one a few weeks ago to see dinosaur bones and when my husband and I went to MoMA with friends in the summer.
• Jax got to see The Wiggles and Yo Gabba Gabba live shows this year. Can you say F-U-N??? The YGG show was more our style, though, if I had to choose between the 2.
• Lots & lots of zoo trips this year, thanks to a membership from my parents.
• Dacia & I bought tickets for BlogHer ’12. So stoked for that.
• I went to my first La Leche League meeting. I met Tiff there, with whom I share many common interests.
• Jax got to hang out with Chica twice!
• We went to a pumpkin patch several times in one month. Jax danced with a rooster.
• I got to meet the beautiful and amazing Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress and Diane Sanford of Real Mom Experts in person at a conference for perinatal mood disorders here in NJ.

If 2012 is anything like 2011, I can’t wait to share next year’s list with you! Overall, it was a fun year, with nothing major happening–a good thing. I wish you all a calm, peaceful, and fun 2012!

Happy New Year! (Mommy & Jax, January 2011)