What I have learned in one whole year.

1. Pelvic floor confidence and three children is an either/or option.
2. You will survive fairly severe post-natal depression. It will crush you, you won’t feel like you can breathe, let alone function. You can though. You will get through this. There will be sunshine again.
   
3. Plain flour and self-raising flour have VERY different outcomes when baking.
4. Sudocream can be removed from carpet. Over time. Long amounts of time.
5. Even though this year marks 12 years of being with the hubs you will still love him more than you ever thought possible.
6. You will wear studs and think that’s cool. Your sisters will openly (and very vocally) disagree.
7. You will be nominated for blogging awards that you didn’t even know existed one year ago.
8. Your gut is always right. Trust it.
9. You will get a brand new niece on your birthday and she will be completely wonderful.
10. You will learn how to actually, successfully cook meringue.
11. You will dance in front of 300 odd people to raise money for cancer and not die/wee/fall over/
12. Despite your best efforts this year a ‘sarcasm font’ still won’t exist.
13. There will be breakups and engagements for those you love most.
14. When the toddler advises that the baby is painting the cot with chocolate. IT IS NOT CHOCOLATE.
15. After living the first 32 years of your life knowing no different, you will grieve for your two grandfathers this year. You will never have another birthday where they exist in the world with you.
16. Your baby will start at daycare, and thrive.
17. You have family members who you will no longer count as family. They say and do some completely horrific things. Let. it. go.
18. For the first year in a long time you will not need to have any moles removed PLUS they will extend the time until you have to come back! Well, saying that you’re due now so make an appointment.
19. Stop collecting cook books. You already have too many. You are getting out of control woman.
20. The toddler will empty an entire container of talcum powder into the cot with the baby. Be aware, according to her this is not her fault that it snowed.
21. You will learn the hard lesson that not everyone in the world is good. Some people are just inherently bad and despite how much you try you won’t be able to save them.
22. Your children will hide your phone. Often. You should look in the toy box or the bathroom bottom drawer most often.
23. You will struggle learning to balance parenting and working. It is hard and you will cry. Really ugly cry.
24. You will finally get back to tropical North Queensland with your lover and it will be perfect.
25. Sometimes step back and realise good enough is enough.
26. It the sign says electric fence. Trust the damn fence!
27. You will compete in ROC Race and Miss Muddy and you will have an extraordinarily brilliant time.
28. You will fight with the toddler about going to kindy. She will not want to go because she has ‘brown hair’ and will only go if she is ‘yellow haired’ like her sister. You will win this battle.
29. This year will be the year of ‘Netflix and chill’ and that is fun
30. Life happens. Coffee helps.
31. You and your firstborn will survive and triumph in kindergarten.
32. She who cuts chillis and rubs eyes cries.
33. Don’t do shots. You are too damn old.
34. Don’t trust your tongue when it is bitter. You will probably regret it.
35. Don’t worry so much. It will eat you up.
36. The thermomix will be worth every goddamn cent.
37. You will desperately miss your five year old while she is at school. Like deeply. More than you can even imagine.
38. The world will change this year. It will become subtly darker due to terrorism and fear mongering. You are fully capable of being shiny happy though. Don’t let the baddies win.
39. I am proud of you.