So that’s it then. Farewell, 2012. What a lovely year you were, too. When we look back at you as time goes by, we’ll think of Union Jack bunting and soggy cucumber sandwiches, gold medals and yellow jerseys. You promised so much and, to all our surprise, delivered. A perfect Victoria sponge of a year.

The country at large had a good one and the Pramstead household did too. If our year could be summed up in a word, it would be ‘change’. A new baby, a new job and a house move all featured large. We’re ending the year in a different home in a different city and with an extra – albeit very small – person at the dinner table.

It’s been busy but somehow I’ve found time to blog occasionally too. Here’s a round-up of what inspired me to put fingers to keyboard in 2012:

In January I pondered how we’re meant to juggle home and work, and contemplated advertising for half a wife. I wrote a little about one of my favourite places, Dunwich beach in Suffolk, and became increasingly cross about all the stupid things people were saying to me as a pregnant woman. With babies on the brain, I also wrote about my experience of hypnobirthing.

In February I was excited to discover at the 20 week scan that I was having a girl, and was convinced that I wouldn’t be dressing her from head to toe in pink. I joined in a February getting-to-know-you meme and celebrated Desert Island Discs’ 70^th anniversary by choosing my own island soundtrack.

In March I swotted up on my pre-birth reading and shared my favourite pregnancy-to-toddler paperbacks. I also added my tuppence to the great Gina Ford debate (no prizes for guessing which camp I fall into. Routine? What routine?).

In April I laid bare the truth about life with a toddler. Warning: if you don’t already have children, steer clear of this post as it may put you off forever. I also let you into my secret Hampstead star-spotting hang-outs.

By May I was heavily pregnant and thought it was a good time to share my tips for a healthier pregnancy. I pondered the pitfalls of choosing a baby’s name and became increasingly irate about not being offered a seat on the train. I also contemplated how different my little boy’s life will be in My 21^st Century Boy.

In June I wrote about the lies I tell to my son to make life easier, which I should really update as I’ve been embellishing the truth wildly since the baby was born.On the pregnancy front,I played the baby waiting game and pondered what to pack (or not) in my hospital bag. I went into labour on my due date and my lovely baby girl was born the next day.

In July I was in a world of non-stop breastfeeding so I compiled my breastfeeding essentials. I also had potty training on the mind, and put together a list of my top tips.

I had a mini sabbatical from blogging during the summer, preoccupied as I was with moving house and remembering what to do with a newborn. I re-emerged in September, writing from our new home and still working out how to juggle life with two children.

In October the nights started drawing in and I started gathering my hibernation essentials. I contemplated the much-ignored ‘fourth trimester’ and how to survive it. Wall-to-wall media coverage of a horrible tragedy had me holding the children’s hands a little tighter and made me more paranoid than ever. Lastly I marveled at my newly discovered ability to drive and wondered when Little Boy would finally consider me an acceptable chauffeur.

In November I started weaning the baby and wondered, briefly, if I should encourage her to be meat-free. Driving the boy to nursery made me feel very grown-up and mum-like, and I thought about some of the ways that being a mum has changed me. I also signed up to a university study during which the baby will record everything she hears in our house for two days. And then regretted it.

December brought a glut of festive posts including tips for a thrifty Christmas, a round-up of our homemade efforts and excitement at the prospect of our first proper family Christmas. Sadly Father Christmas failed to bring what was at the top of my list: a decent night’s sleep. I’ll beckon in another year muttering my favourite mantra: it’s just a phase, it’s just a phase, it’s just a phase…

I hope you’ve had a fun and fulfilling 2012, and wish you all the best for a happy and healthy 2013.