It has been a year since Charlotte was stillborn. It still feels surreal and it still feels like it didn’t happen. I guess that’s how we deal with tragedies like that. I assure you that we have grieved deeply for our precious baby, but we are glad and relieved that the first year is over.

We have decided to do something special and new or different each year, to honour Charlotte on her birthday. This year we went to Richmond Bridge for a picnic. We were going to go to the Maze but didn’t get there; we were having such a beautiful peaceful time at the bridge that we decided to stay there all day.

We played, walked, ate and relaxed in a pretty, shady nook at the bottom corner of the park. Around the time if Charlotte’s birth (1:13pm), we blew bubbles for our baby and talked about Angels and clouds.

It has been a good day. I’ve heard so many people tell me that the lead up to the anniversary is worse than the actual day, and for me that is true. I have felt quiet today, but peaceful, as I’ve looked over photos of our beautiful baby, thought about her birth, her life, and the journey we’ve been on over the past 12 months.

At the end of the day Monte and I had a glass of champagne to celebrate the fact we’ve survived; to celebrate our daughter, our family and our girl and the beautiful life journey we are on.