My 2013 project is a 365 Grateful project - something i am grateful for each day, every day, of 2013. I am grateful for...

January

• A little brother and sister who love being in the water, just like I do.
• Feeling my unborn niece kick, for the first time.
• Riley's exuberance over eating spaghetti - "I will suck it up!".
• Wrapping Katie and myself into a towel and having poolside snuggles.
• Tough goodbyes, because it means I love and am loved.
• That I am a reader, and have the privilege of reading amazing books.
• Sophie, who rang when I was confronted by someone from my past.
• The opportunity to properly farewell Starchibald <3.
• 1am drives on empty roads and clearing my mind with loud music.
• Hanging out with my aunt and cousin - the roadtrip was worth it!
• Having a job that encourages fun and play and silliness.
• Vodka and confession time with Sophie-Jane.
• That wonderful feeling of sinking into bed after a very long day.
• Catching up with some very old friends - Jordan and Lachlan.
• Exploring the Ipswich campus and getting my new ID card!
• Not losing any of my children at the zoo! Hurrah!
• Catching up with Shelley and sitting out back till it got too dark.
• Hanging out with Tara at Max Brenner - "Party party party!"
• Catching up with Cait and Vikki at the markets <3
• Cold pizza in bed with Keeta and Kevin after an amazing BIG DAY OUT!
• The medical testing to prepare me to study midwifery.
• Flash's chubby cheeks and pouty little lips. My heart beats so fast.
• A cold shower after a long day at work.
• Not having tuberculosis! Hurrah! :P
• The kids at work dancing to Gangnam Style - it was so cute!
• Lazy days spent in bed, watching movies and reading books.
• Constant updates on the weather, and Sophie-Jane being here safe.
• Being safe and dry, when the opposite could be true.
• Baby cuddles and Miss Mia being so snuggly.
• Passive aggressive photo-moving, worth a laugh for sure.
• Sister date lunch with Holly and talking about baby Flash!

February

• Bringing in midnight and SJ's birthday, dancing in seafoam.
• Tequila, and three stolen kisses.
• Iced chocolate making everything better, even sunburn.
• Riley's face when I picked him up from daycare.
• A whole day spent with my two favourites - beach, park, snuggles.
• Sloppy kisses from Katie, and snuggles from Riley.
• Fresh sheets, and a quiet morning to myself.
• Joy bringing macaroni quiches to the staff meeting - yum!
• Once Upon a Time and One Direction karaoke with four little cuties.
• Pretty bras. That is all.
• Using tickling as a babysitting device. +1 to Nikki.
• Hugs and drawings from little Miss Lara at work.
• P&C AGM handover - my last lot of minutes done and dusted!
• Rocking out to My Immortal while I vacuumed. #classy
• IKEA lunch and feeling Flash's hiccups.
• Holly's Baby Shower! So many cute tiny things!
• A quiet day spent in pyjamas.
• The guys at the tech store - they are just so damn nice.
• Hope, for a new beginning at university.
• A long conversation with my dad, talking about my favourite kiddos.
• Coffee in a sunlit corner, people-watching out the window.
• Hour long chats in the car with a very special guy.
• My mum, who buys me things like a nurses watch just because she's awesome.
• Catching up with Gabby and Marnie for brunch and a movie.
• Jennifer Lawrence winning the Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook.
• My last free day before university starts.
• Not getting lost on the way to the weir.
• Meeting new people in my PBL class who are really nice.

March

• Tequila in a crackhouse, and drunken Coles trips with Nikita.
• Cheeseburgers and Survivor: the best way to manage the morning after.
• Lazy days in pyjamas to catch up on sleep and TV.
• Those kids at work who never fail to make you smile.
• Two adorable boys to babysit, and a very huggable baby.
• Sister date day - Silver Linings Playbook.
• My nana's hands, full of memories.
• My new pleather-panel pants and a new Jodi Picoult book.
• A girl, a guitar and a park. I have no words left.
• Finding shoes that were ugly, but not in comparison to the alternative.
• Fire training with a video game and a sneak peek into the SCN.
• The opportunity to take SJ's headshots, and the moments after.
• Hanging out in parks and by the lake till late with my crazies.
• Using a stethoscope, and learning to take blood pressure.
• Purple shirt! Purple shirt! Purple shirt!
• My mumma, on her birthday. Love her.
• Delicious Vietnamese food for lunch, and Legally Blonde the musical!
• My best friend, my drinking buddy, my person - on her birthday <3
• Breakfast with SJ who hadn't slept all night.
• A whole stack of new books... to join the other fifty billion.
• Sushi and Birds of Tokyo and the EP from Clark (The Office) and Cochran (Survivor).
• Traipsing around West End and sneaky kisses and Italian food.
• Holly's maternity shoot! Teeny shoes and stretched shirts.
• Satay chicken sandwiches and a movie for Marnie's birthday.
• Morning work and a quiet afternoon.
• My first clinical shift - NG tube gravity feeds and snuggles!
• Sinking into bed after my second shift in the special care nursery.
• Waking up in the middle of the night to a text from Sophie-Jane.
• Sleeping in and midday snoozes to make up for a long week.
• Road trips and sour squirms and swimming and good friends.
• Kisses in the ocean and sleeping spooned together.

April

• Family lunches - the last one before our baby arrives!
• Miss Abby and her hugs. She always makes me smile.
• Sizzler dinners with my aunt and uncle.
• OSHC GIRLS GONE WILD: Ashleigh's first tequila shot & Sinead's ulcer!
• "I wanted to /lick/ you collarbone to knee". Bellatrix. Railings.
• Silver sparkles on my pillowcase from my hairspray.
• Finding any excuse to wear my new black leather studded boots.
• Getting into bed after 8 hours on my feet. Ouchies!
• Work today was awesome - pool and hotdogs. Oh yes.
• Sciencentre excursion fun and one last pre-baby dinner.
• Sweet, soft cheeks and snuggles. Miss Isabella Carie is here.
• Baby Bella is the sweetest thing.
• Froyo for dinner with my favourite SJ, at long last.
• My first birth - a c-section. Baby J, 4.22 kg, 53 cm long.
• Lunch and studying in the park.
• Grande white chocolate mocha from Zarraffas. Yes.
• A tiny red beret and an I <3 MK onesie and chest snoozes.
• Two oral presentations over and done with.
• Mexican food, margaritas, Sassy-Jane and Tiff.
• The first lazy pyjama day in quite a while.
• Home based midwifery care, and lunch in the park.
• Finding my first foetal heart rate with the Doppler!
• 22, Isabella's dimples, and two little cake decorators.
• Sizzler, slurpees, Mt Coot-tha and great friends.
• Showing Riley and Katie how to use my stethoscope.
• Quiet afternoons and episodes of Daria.
• Eating breakfast one-handed because I was snuggling Bella.
• Sneaky kisses wrapped in blankets in the wee hours of the morning.
• Using a chocolate milkshake to fix pretty much everything.
• Green jeans, zippered knees and fake leather everything.

May

• Hanging on the hill with Sinead, watching all the crazies.
• Radioactive, the first SMT musical, complete with fake sound effects.
• Vampire, Watermelon, Tease, Cosmos, Fairy Floss...
• Getting my obs signed off on the ward - my last piece of clinical assessment!
• A day between clinical shifts just for some peace and quiet.
• Another great day on HBMC - I love it :)
• Finally receiving my hospital swipe access ID.
• Afternoon chats with Emma and Kate on the playground.
• A two hour Skype date with Sophie-Jane and her guitar. Oh yes :)
• Catching up with my workmates at our staff meeting!
• Getting praised by my midwife mentor, it was awesome.
• Snuggle time with Bella on Mother's Day morning :)
• Productive days and early nights.
• TAYLOR SWIFT TICKETS. YES. GOOD.
• Bella's grins and being snuggled against my chest while shopping.
• "Only the cool kids test their urine together"
• The relief on Nana's face when she was settled at Canossa.
• Removing my first IV and holding a six-hour-old newborn (Caleb).
• Hot Shoe Shuffle! I'd forgotten how much I adore tap!
• "I'd like a class full of thirty Nikki Roestenburgs"
• Seeing my first birth - Zoe Ann. What an incredible experience.
• Rainy afternoons of binball at work.
• Party day for PBL - brownies and cupcakes galore!
• Library relocations with Sassy-Jane. Mucho coffee.
• My last day of clinical practice! Ward shift :)
• Getting home at 4am after a crazy night of theatre and mountains.
• Successfully presenting the AMP at the Leadership Team meeting.
• "I brought my Nikki with me today" - Zali, at her classroom.
• An amazing care package from Steph arrived :)
• Meeting Tegan and being reassured that her bub is fine.
• Submitting my last piece of assessment and having snuggles and smiles with baby Bella!

June

• Three hour Skype conversations with EP4 :)
• The view from the water tower, I love city lights.
• Seal of Approval - my new favourite shirt.
• I got my TSwizzle tickets in the mail!
• Nandos and Bella and GoT conversations with Jon.
• Park days with Zali.
• Drunken text conversations with Steph. Hilarity.
• Zali's fascination with the phrase "waning gibbous"
• Procrastinating with glittery blue nail polish.
• Study days at the library, friends and sushi.
• Oreos and coloured pens.
• Getting my first exam over and done with, and not as bad as I thought!
• Seeing a photo of Katie in her dance uniform - so cute :)
• Sassy-Jane, chicken, haloumi and Invader Zim.
• Gilmore Girls, after a long day of study.
• Hanging out with Mister Ben, his cars, and his whistles.
• Lara whispering in my ear "Guess what, I love you!"
• "On Tuesdays we wear coloured jeans" and lunch snuggles with Baby Bella.
• Snapping Z out of her mood nice and quick!
• Surprise flowers waiting for me at Z's :)
• Exams are finished, Coffee Club lunch and Silver Linings Playbook on DVD!
• A day spent in pyjamas, no excuses needed.
• MESS Pub Crawl and the random guy sleeping on my shoulder.
• Finally reaching Mt Coot-tha's summit. Oh yeah.
• Loads of Bella snuggles as she slept on my chest <3
• Teaching Mum to use her iPhone :D
• Alien heart hands and stupid faces. Skype convos with SJ always end up this way.
• Grill'd. That is all.
• Green cordial, apple pie, fifty-two pick-up, Greedy Cat and family around the dining table.
• Spotting a double rainbow in front of my house <3 after lunch and movies with Marniekins!

July

• I woke up this morning, and there was Baby Bella in my living room! BEST WAKE-UP EVER!
• 6.3 GPA. SUCK IT, MIDWIFERY!
• Shopping with Miss Bella in the baby bjorn, all snuggled up and warm.
• Catching up with Caitiebells, I miss that chick <3
• Celebratory end-of-holidays ice-cream with my mumma after an RACQ incident with Izzie.
• Two of the biggest smiles I have ever seen <3
• "I can see properly! Maybe because my eyes are open!" My little sister is getting so big and hilarious!
• Trying to keep Captain Riley in control of his trolley at Woolworths. He's such a dag.
• Swimming lessons complete with lots of splashing!
• Outside time with Katie while Mister Riley was a little bit sick. "Ladies and gentlemen HA!"
• Cupcakes with rainbow sprinkles and FaceTime sessions with Riles, Katie and baby Bella.
• Bike tour through the botanic gardens for the two crazies.
• Chinese food and Mt Coot-tha and hanging in my car and ice-creams at midnight and sneaky kisses.
• Hanging in the sandpit with Kobes, and kicking Michael's butt at Mario Kart at OSHC.
• A photo session with the gorgeous Isabella.
• Sorting out my DSLR shots from my trip to Mackay.
• Cooking with Sophie-Jane: spaghetti for everyone!
• Seeing Monsters University with Hols and baby Bella.
• Nothing. Today sucked. Vomits and more. Gross.
• 2.2kg down, but I'm still sick as a dog :(
• Midwifery workshop - mechanisms of labour. Women are warriors.
• "Candle Magick" giggle fest.
• Baby Bella is all about pulling hair. What a funny little possum she is.
• Haircut Thursday nights are my favourite.
• A lazy day culminating in a 2 hour phone conversation with SJ.
• Morning tea with Tam and Patti :)
• Golden. Dumplings.
• The second midwifery workshop - hypnobirthing is the bomb.
• Shopping with SJ - new sunrise chucks included.
• Me, Zali and the alligator in the fridge. It's a problem.
• Medical calculation test #1. All over it.

August

• Sophie, Bella and the Powerhouse shoot.
• Almost three hours of napping with Bella on my chest.
• Flanno fashion.
• Putting new skills into practice :)
• My first assisted birth, contraction obs and sole CTG examination!
• Falling in love with On the Jellicoe Road all over again via discussions with Hayley.
• Got our midwifery nametags :D The stork is adorable!
• ROADTRIP! With a sleeping bubba in back.
• Pink lunch and hanging with baby Bella.
• Sunrise over the Bunya Mountains with Bella in my lap.
• Looking back over last night's tweets re: leaders debate.
• Catching up with Gabs and Marnie to celebrate a birthday.
• FaceTime with the birthday boy.
• Falling into bed at 3am after a looong day and a birth.
• Catching up with Tegan and visiting her little bubba.
• Kevin's -soccer- not soccer, football game and tonnes of sushi.
• Reading outside in the cool air, jasmine blowing in the breeze.
• +1 birth.
• Finishing off my oral presentation slides, two days in advance!
• Grease is the word, with Marniekins!
• Mexican and Max Brenner with my faves <3
• The first peaceful day all week. I needed the quiet.
• Soccer mums and ice-skating - giant bruises and blisters abound!
• Hanging out with Megs - can't wait till she moves closer!
• Aunty Noo and Bella time followed by sushi with Hols!
• Sick day :( Grateful for rest and time to heal.
• Library date with SJ, followed by cheese and politics.
• My dad's silly drawings with letters in tow.
• The girls in my class - I love my mid group!
• Quiet. Peaceful. Calm.
• Soccer mums once more, Nandos and general awesomeness.

September

• Sundays. I'm always grateful for Sundays.
• Subway. Because lazy.
• Shoe shopping - six new pairs! WOO!
• Miss Bella giggles, and I love hanging with her.
• Baby dolls in class for breastfeeding advice.
• PHAT BEAR'S BIRTHDAY!
• Time to vote - Tony may be in, but such is democracy.
• Bella's christening.
• Megamix hangouts - I love my cousin :)
• Shortbread stars and late nights at work.
• South bank shenanigans with three little cuties.
• Drug handbook, thank you very much!
• 500. I lose everytime.
• Illegal campfires, s'mores and alcohol.
• Non-existent hangovers and leftover pizza.
• Birth Suite - 35 weeker, healthy but tiny. My second and third injections done.
• Work work work. Work work. Work. Possibly more work.
• Crafting early in the mornings to keep Z happy.
• Another oral presentation, with full marks! 50%!!!
• Megan is transferring to the Sunshine coast! YAY!
• Holly's birthday! I love my familia.
• HBMC, my friends are here. DRUNK DRUNK DRUNK.
• Legit we did nothing all day except eat crap food and watch TV and play cards and oh my goodness it was glorious.
• Excursion to Payne Road carnival with OSHC. Taco Tuesday. All the fun.
• There are tiny teddies up my stairs... MINI MES!
• 50 chicken mcbites. 1 large fries.
• A quiet, clean home. And Mum is back :)
• S
• S
• M

October

November

December