The thought of summing up this year is so daunting that I considered skipping it altogether. In addition to keeping Mazzy alive to the age of two(!), maintaining what I think is a healthy marriage and holding on to my day job, somehow I have continued to write Mommy Shorts daily, launched a second site and started a YouTube show. My husband would say this is the reason I have been sick for the past month and show no signs of improving. He's probably right. But I love this site and everybody that reads it and can't imagine slowing down.
I would, however, like to go the easy route on writing my year-end wrap-up. Bed is calling and I'm still pretending to be on somewhat of a vacation.
My first thought was just to list the ten most popular posts BUT HORROR OF HORRORS— almost none of those posts involve Mazzy.
THE TOP TEN MOST POPULAR POSTS IN 2011 (in order)
1. Evil Baby Glare-Off: Round 1
3. 5 Totally Inappropriate Children's Books
4. Inappropriate Elf: One More Christmas Tradition That Makes Me Sad To Be Jewish
5. Cheap-Ass Last Minute No Effort Halloween Costumes
6. Colossal Cakesmash Smackdown: The Finals
7. I Don't Know How She Does It Either
8. Twenty Reasons to Have Twenty Kids
9. 12 Spectacular Kid's Birthday Cake Fails
10. Baby Celebrity Lookalikes: The People's Choice
It's an interesting thing for a "mommy blogger" when your traffic comes mainly from posts that have nothing to do with your family. In order to keep writing, I have to believe that my regulars care about my personal stories. And since only my most devoted fans will be reading my blog on the Friday before New Year's Eve, I decided to do an additional list that includes only posts about myself, my daughter and my lovable pill of a husband, Mike.
MY FAVORITE POSTS ABOUT MIKE, MAZZY & ME IN 2011 (in order) (I think)
1. Mazzy starts a dance craze called "Fetch My Sippy Cup Boy" in The World's Worst Wedding Date.
2. Mike teaches Fatherhood 101 with techniques like "Feigning Naptime Ineptitude" and "Winning at Baby Monitor Chicken".
3. I finally get around to telling the story of The Day Mazzy Was Born.
4. Mike and Mayor Bloomberg disagree on natural disaster preparedness in Hurricane Schmurricane.
5. Mazzy's blankie goes into cardiac arrest in The Importance of Boo.
6. I weigh the joy of Mazzy's first dip in the ocean with the annoyance of carrying 1000 lbs. of gear on scorching hot sand in Is the Beach Worth It?
7. Mazzy yells "BEAR!!!" in a crowded theater in You Can't Beat The Heat With Pooh.
8. I teach the seven stages of language development (including "The Broken Robot" and "The Snuffaluffagus Conundrum") in My Baby's Talking with No Help from Bruce Willis, Thank You Very Much.
9. Grammy outspells me in I am No Supermom.
10. Mazzy goes to her first day of pre-preschool in Even Future Presidents Eat Play-Doh.
11. My iPhone dies a horrible drool-related death in Baby Kills iPhone, Mom Survives.
Thank you to everyone who cares, who reads, who comments, who submits pictures, who enters my contests, etc. Without you all, I would have given up on Mommy Shorts long ago.
Honestly, one of the things I love most about my site is YOUR KIDS. If you pay attention, you'll find that that the same kids show up over and over again in the contests and fan photo albums.
One such kid is Lucie, the Evil Baby Glare-Off Champion, who recently sent in this picture:
How awesome is that? I wish I could be there the day Lucie's mother sits her down to explain that poster. Also, doesn't Lucie look considerably less possessed-by-Satan as she gets older? Good thing because I imagine the devil is scarier once she's mobile.
Not to be outdone, here's the Evil Baby Glare-Off runner-up, Chelsea:
Chelsea still looks like she has something up her sleeve, but maybe that's just me.
I hope everyone has a lovely New Year's. If you have a newborn and will be spending the evening at home, you might try my "New Year's Eve Newborn Parent Drinking Game" from last year.
If you are going out for New Year's Eve for the first time in two years like myself (we have an overnight wedding and Grammy is babysitting— WOOHOO!!!), have fun!
I hope to see you back here next year.
xo, Mommy Shorts
You have had a terrific blogging year! Happy New Year!
Excellent wrap up! Now get your fancy shoes on and have an awesome time at your wedding! can’t wait to see what next year holds!
I love ALL of your posts – especially the ones about Mazzy! Your blog never fails to put a smile on my face. Thanks for all the effort you put into making me laugh! Happy New Year – have a fantastic time!
Your Mazzy posts are my favorite!! I hope that someday I have a kid as ridiculously cute as yours.
Happy New Year! All of your posts are awesome but Mazzy posts and pics rule!
I’m reading! lol! And I am excited for your overnight date night, my husband and I got the same present from my mom – my youngest is two, oldest eight, was our first date overnight in 6-8 years! It was magical, I love my kids but that night was magical for my marriage! I hope you love yours as much! And my favourite posts are the ones you caption, whether Mazzy or other kids, you are sooooo clever!!
Love BOTH lists!
Happy new year, and enjoy being out – I’m jealous!
What a busy year!
I really love that photo of the three of you. I think more candid photos show so much more than perfect photos.
I, too, can’t wait to explain that poster to Lucie….. and her future dates for that matter. It seriously may get hung up as wedding decor…. 😉
i love your blog posts about you the most so you have at least one fan who is interested in your stories.
I love all of your posts and my daughter, Natalie, loves anything that has to do with Mazzy! Natalie is 2 1/2 and she thinks Mazzy is just the coolest!
I never fail to leave your blog feeling better than I do before I read your post.
Great job and Natalie and I can’t wait for another year!!!
I love the personal stories! And lucie looks downright friendly there! Happy New Year!
You are set to take over the world methinks, my talented pal. Of COURSE the one’s with Mazzy & Mike are the best. Don’t doubt it for a second. Happy New Year! xoxo
I hope you get to feeling better soon, but I do love that you keep updating even through sickness 🙂
You too, Alison! Thanks for being my first comment every day!
Fancy shoes have a big fat CHECK. They’re shimmery gold with a 3-D butterfly! And they are much nicer than that description just made them sound.
Thank you, Stephanie! I love them all too. It’s so hard picking favorites. Have a happy new year!
I hope you don’t already have kids…. but Mazzy thanks you anyway!
Thank you, Lenka. And you’ve got to meet her in the flesh so you know she’s even better in real life:)
I actually got a (paid!) job starting next year captioning photos from another site every Friday. I’ll let you know all the details as soon as I do. I hope their readers aren’t easily offended…
I spent the last two years at home and New Year’s Eve has always been one of my favorite nights. I am thrilled to have something to do and someone to watch Mazzy.
Hopefully you’ll get out next year!
It’s not the most attractive photo of me but it certainly seemed to sum up the year a lot better than the three of us standing calmly against a wall.
It MUST MUST be brought out every time she brings a new boyfriend home to meet the family.
Good to know. And I know Mike loves the posts about HIM the most so at least there is two of you.
Awww… thank you! That is the best compliment ever. Mazzy is definitely a much cooler kid than I ever was. Don’t tell her I said that though.
Happy New Year, Bridget! Good luck with your book!
If I ever take over the world, I am taking you with me. Everybody needs a producer if they want to get stuff done and you are one of the best!
Happy New Year to you, old friend.
Oh god- you should hear me. Well, you can’t hear me. I have no voice whatsoever going on 2 1/2 weeks. It is incredibly frustrating. I don’t feel that sick otherwise!
Great list! I enjoyed reading your favorites since I’m a latecomer to the party.
That is soooo awesome! If they are offended who cares? Means you are doing your job and better ratings. You are to captioning photos what Ricky Gervais is to hosting the Golden Globes – only offensive to those without a wicked sense of humour. Congrats!
You had an amazing year, and thank you for the article round up… I had somehow missed a few of those, and it was great to catch up 🙂 Happy New Year!
OK, so I’m reading this on New Year’s Day vs. the Friday before New Year’s, but I’ve still read every single one of these posts, so I suppose I’m a pretty devoted fan. I’m not sure what that says about me. 😉
Happy New Year, Ilana!
Hahaha, I had a fantastic New Year’s eve complete with taking a cat to the vet (with Rebecca, which was funny in its own right), lots of cooking and baking, dropping off Rebecca at my parents’ house, signing the paperwork to buy a new car, continuing to cook and bake and clean, and then hosting a New Years Eve party with my friends. There were no babies, we started playing video games we used to play together in college, and a friend of mine shaved his facial hair for the first time in probably 8 years. We decided the theme of the night was “Let’s party like it’s 2003”.
It was a nice top off to a week that consisted of 2 ear infections, plus the discovery of Rebecca’s [thankfully mild] allergy to peanuts. Thank GOD Day care was open today because I dropped her off, came home, and slept until noon. I had some freaky dreams…
I was heartbroken but after I contacted robinsonbucler@ gmail. com my ex came back.. •°*”˜.•°*”˜« ❤* ¯).«.*¯))