my word(s) for 2016

English below

(Eu sei que estou sempre atrasada por aqui... mas estou a aprender a estar bem com isso e não usar a lista de posts acumulados como uma desculpa para procrastinar. Este blog é importante para mim, vocês que ainda têm paciência para me ler são importantes e quero continuar por aqui.)

(I know I'm always late here ... but I'm learning to be okay with it and not take the list of drafted posts as an excuse to procrastinate. This blog is important to me, you who still have the patience to read me are important and I'll just stay here.)

Há já alguns anos que escolho uma palavra para guiar o ano.

E há já alguns anos que invariavelmente essa palavra está ligada a criatividade. É sempre o que eu quero para o centro da minha vida, tirar tantas ideias que tenho na cabeça e executá-las, fazer coisas com as mão, continuar a ser criativa. Eu gosto do meu emprego e tem alguma criatividade mas a minha cabeça não pára e quer sempre mais. Tenho feito algumas coisas mas nunca a um grau que me deixe mesmo feliz. E também não partilho tudo o que faço que é outra coisas que quero mudar. Este ano não é diferente e quero trazer mais trabalhos criativos para os meus dias. Para além disso há outras áreas da vida que quero desenvolver e melhorar, para me sentir melhor, mais equilibrada.

Eu sei que talvez devesse ser menos ambiciosa e certamente mais paciente comigo. Afinal tenho um namorado, um filho pequeno e um trabalho a tempo inteiro. Os dias são cheios e cansativos e o tempo não é elástico. Mas a vida será sempre cheia e desculpas são tão fáceis de arranjar. Este ano escolhi a palavra FOCO/FOCUS exactamente para me lembrar de fazer o máximo do pouco tempo livre que me resta. Focar-me no essencial, organizar prioridades, reduzir o tempo perdido em actividades que não acrescentam valor à minha vida (como facebook, instagram ou a ler a minha lista infinita de blogs) e perder o medo.

Em cada mês quero focar-me num hábito que gostava de mudar e esta é a lista que criei para 2016:

JANEIRO: Exercícios criativos
FEVEREIRO: Alimentação saudável
MARÇO: Exercício
ABRIL: Finanças
MAIO: Escrever cartas e postais
JUNHO: Declutter
JULHO: Meditação
AGOSTO: Desligar
SETEMBRO: Exercícios criativos
OUTUBRO: ?
NOVEMBRO: Um post todos os dias (juntar-me de novo ao NaBloPoMo)
DEZEMBRO: Generosidade

A ideia é ir introduzindo uma pequena mudança por mês e no final do ano ser uma mulher nova! Em termos criativos criei também uma lista de 16 projectos (16 simplesmente porque estamos em 2016) que partilharei num outro post para executar ao longo do ano.

Mas já se está a ver que não vai ser fácil...

Janeiro não foi mau, comecei o ano entusiasmada e juntei-me a um desafio para desenhar todos os dias. Eram só 10 minutos por dia e consegui quase todos os dias! Não pensava muito e foi fácil terminar. A ideia era dar-me uma rotina que depois utilizaria para outros projectos. Não funcionou.
Mas depois em Fevereiro sem o empurrão diário foi mais complicado mas fiz algumas mudanças na minha alimentação e comecei a introduzir mais vegetais por exemplo. Baby steps!
Estamos em Março e tem sido a desgraça total em termos de exercício! Fui duas vezes ao pilates e fiz duas caminhadas de 1 hora. Nem uma corrida!

E projectos criativos... completei 3 o que não parece mal. Mas tenho alguns ambiciosos que estão a custar a mexer.

Como eu disse as desculpas são fáceis, o meu filho esteve doente e as noites ficaram uma desgraça ainda maior que o habitual (nunca dormiu muito bem raça do miúdo!). Mas são demasiadas as noites em que depois do jantar acabo no sofá agarrada ao iphone. Não é muito tempo antes de me deitar e há tanta preguiça de começar algo quando já estou tão cansada...

Parece que a experiência está a ser um falhanço total mas não acho. Já sabia que não ia ser fácil e a verdade é que houve progresso em todas as áreas em que iniciei uma mudança. E o facto de aqui estar a escrever sobre isto e sobre as minhas lutas dá-me uma nova energia para continuar a trabalhar e não me deixar ir. Hoje de manhã li um artigo interessante sobre os efeitos  negativos de passar a vida a imaginar projectos e nunca os concretizar (ai ai tocou tão na minha ferida) que decidi acrescentar uma nova palavra do ano. Quero continuar FOCADA mas agora criar ACÇÃO. Fazer coisas. Concretizá-las!

Estão comigo?

English!

For some years now I've been choosing a word to guide me through the year

And for some years now invariably the word is linked to creativity. It's always what I want for my life, take the ideas from my head and just do them, create things with the hands, continue to be creative. I like my job and it has some creativity but my head does not stop and always wants more. I have done some things but not to a degree that let me really happy. Nor do I share everything I do which is other thing I want to change. This year is no different and I want to put forward more creative works. Furthermore there are other areas of life that want to develop and improve, in order to feel better, more balanced.

I know that maybe I should be less ambitious and certainly more patient with me. After all I have a boyfriend, a young son and a full-time job. The days are full and tiring and time is not elastic. But life will always be full and excuses are so easy to arrange. This year I chose the word FOCUS exactly to remember me to make the most of the little time I have left. Focus on my essentials, organize my priorities, reduce the time wasted on activities that add no value to my life (like facebook, instagram or read my endless list of blogs) and lose the fear.

Each month I want to focus myself on a habit that liked to change and this is the list I created for 2016:

JANUARY: creative exercises
FEBRUARY: Healthy Food
MARCH: Exercise
APRIL: Finance
MAY: Write letters and postcards
JUNE: Declutter
JULY: Meditation
AUGUST: Off
SEPTEMBER: creative exercises
OCTOBER: ?
NOVEMBER: A post every day (joining again NaBloPoMo)
DECEMBER: Generosity

The idea is to introduce a small change each month and then by the end of the year I'll be a new woman! Ahah In creative terms I also made a list of 16 projects (16 simply because we are in 2016) that will share in another post to run through the year.

But I'm already sensing it will not be easy ...

January was not bad, I started the year excited and I joined a challenge to draw every day. It was only 10 minutes a day and did it almost every day! I did not think too much and was easy to finish. The idea was to give me a routine that would fuel me into other projects. It didn't work.
In February without the daily reminder it was more complicated but I did make some changes in my diet and started to introduce more vegetables for example. Baby steps!
We are in March and has been the utter disgrace in terms of exercise! I went twice to pilates and made two 1-hour walks. Didn't go running not even once!

And creative projects... I completed 3 which is not too bad. But I have some ambitious ones that are being difficult to move with.

As I said excuses are easy, my son was sick and the nights became even worse than usual (he was never a great sleeper). But for too many evenings I've just been lazy in the sofa with my phone. It's not a lot of time before I go to bed and I just get lazy....

It seems that the experience is being a total failure but I don't think so. I knew it would not be easy and the truth is that there has been progress in all areas in which started a change. And the fact of being here to write about this and about my struggles gives me new motivation to continue working and not let myself go. This morning I read an interesting article about the negative effects of spending too much time thinking about projects instead of actually doing them (ouch, my soft spot!) I decided to add a new word of the year. I want to continue FOCUSED but now create ACTION. Do things. Make them happen!

Are you with me?

looking back on 2015

2015 was a weird year, our first complete as parents. Lots of adjustments, lots of joy, love and lots of frustration as well. Below some moments to remember (organised chronologically).

We kicked of the year with a long stay in Portugal since I was on maternity leave and R owned is own company then. It was good to spend some time with family and friends without that constant rush feeling we always have in our visits.

Back in London it was back to the mummy social scene. There is a long stream of activities you can do with the babies here in my neighbourhood and I must have been to all (I even had a calendar to keep me organised!). Meeting groups, singing in libraries, soft play, yoga with babies, fitness in the park with buggies and the list goes on but the best of all was the baby cinema, where you can take your baby to a cinema session and even serve you coffee and cake (well, you pay for it). I owe my sanity to those events and to all the other mothers I've met. It was so important to talk through our struggles with sleep deprivation and adjustment to this new life, looking for a new identity, missing pre-baby life as well while marvelling at the tiny creatures we made. So grateful.

Our old flat, I've spent too many hours in this living room... Miss the south facing large windows that made the flat sun flooded.

By far the best decision of 2015: travelling to the USA with the little one. He was such a trouper! He was about 5-6 months and I think it's an amazing age to travel. I was still breastfeeding and he would endure long hours in the car. Also the joy of seeing old friends again. So so so worth it!

All that sunshine was amazing. We are quite simple travellers and can't really afford luxuries but we always splurge in one hotel per trip: in this one it was the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs. So worth it!

A wonderful highlight, the Eames House - they are so inspiring!

This little chap was of course the center of 2015. Introduction to solid food was a tough one for me - all the food thinking, planning, cooking and restrictions was a bit too much for a non-cooker like me. But like everything else in parenthood, you muddle through it and you conquer a new stage.

Filipe was (and is) my teacher in so many ways. One thing he taught me was the value of perseverance. I remember watching him in awe as he practiced over and over how to roll, how to slide, how to stand up. In this photo you can see how concentrate he is practicing standing in all fours before he started to crawl. It's amazing how babies seem to come with a program and you just see it unfold before your eyes. I remember telling my partner: "we feed him, we love him and watch him grow". So amazing. It's getting a bit more complex these days.

This photo to remember the chaos we have embraced by entering this adventure. And also how incredibly cute he is.

For my birthday I received that lovely Playmobil family and a trip to Margate. 

Some beach time in Portugal over the summer was just perfect. Sun, water and grandparents! We even had a romantic getaway without the kiddo that was amazing. About raising a kid in a foreign country I have come to a conclusion: it's doable but hard. It's hard everywhere I'm sure but I feel a bit jealous of all the grandparents help my friends back in Portugal seem to have. But no complaining, still happy with our choice and our life here.

After summer was a rollercoaster of changes. We moved flats! The little one started in nursery and we both got new jobs! After 10 months of maternity leave I was way more than ready to go back to work. No stay-at-mom material here and that's alright! R's left self employment for new challenges and oh, it was challenging indeed as the new job costed him four hours of daily commute. We patiently fought the new adjustments and create a sort of new routine.

And then he was ONE and growing up so quickly. So much love.

Almost like full circle the end of year found us back in Portugal for Christmas, more at ease with the parenting gig but exhausted and excited for a new start in a new year.

See my around here posts for may 2015, june 2015, july 2015, august 2015, september 2015, october 2015, november 2015,  december 2015.

music is my radar #1 blur - under the westway

hyde park 2012. "this song is for you london" said damon albarn. it was the end of our first year in london, the perfect ending, the perfect concert, where I embraced a total stranger after they played the universal. music is so powerful.

around here - november 2015

Novembro foi um mês bastante emotivo. No mesmo dia dos ataques de Paris uma amiga minha em Lisboa teve um acidente de carro sério e com uma cesariana de emergência deu à luz a sua filha com 28 semanas. É um milagre ela estar viva e tem sido uma verdadeira campeã, mostrando a todos como pode ser forte o espírito humano. Ainda há muito caminho para percorrer mas temos celebrado todas as conquistas desta pequenina fantástica miúda. Do outro lado do Atlântico outra amiga teve também uma filha e ainda outra amiga soube estar grávida de uma menina também. Por isso o meu whatsapp tem sido uma overdose de bebés e histórias de luta, coragem e recuperação.

November was quite an emotional month. The same day Paris was attacked one of my friends in Portugal had a huge car crash and her baby daughter was delivered by emergency c-section at 28 weeks. It's a miracle she is alive and she is doing amazingly well for her tiny size showing everyone how tough the human spirit can be. There are still many bridges to cross for her but we have been celebrating every achievement for the amazing girl she already is. Across the Atlantic another friend had also a baby daughter and another friend found out she is also expecting another daughter as well. So yes, my whatsapp has been overloaded with cute pictures and stories of brave babies and its parents.

As notícias de Paris deixaram Londres em pânico  levaram à triste decisão de bombardear a Síria. Não sei mesmo que mundo vamos deixar aos nossos filhos e deixa-me deprimida que apesar de tantas conquistas que o ser humano já fez ainda não nos consigamos entender e paremos de nos matar uns aos outros.

The news of Paris sent London to panic and to the sad decision to bomb Syria. I really wonder what kind of world are we leaving for our children and feel depressed that despite all the amazing human achievements we haven't found a way to get along and stop killing each other.

... e vamos meter uma foto do miúdo sonolento antes de ir para a creche para mudarmos de assunto... 
... and let's cue in photo of sleeping child before leaving for nursery for an abrupt change of subject...



Novembro foi mais um mês de trabalho exigente com um aumento de responsabilidades e entregas. É tudo bem vindo e já estou a antever um 2016 cheio de desafios e crescimento. Às vezes gostava que a minha vida fosse mais calma e previsível mas a verdade é que eu floresço com desafios. Só preciso de controlar a ansiedade! :))

I had another demanding month workwise with increasing responsibilities and deadlines. It's all good and I foresee a great 2016 filled with challenges and growth. While I sometimes wish my life was calmer and more predictable I really thrive with challenges. I just need to be less anxious! :))

Sem planear nada passámos um sábado perfeito que inclui um corte de cabelo para nós os dois (não o miúdo), um almoço maravilhoso no Andina e mais uma tira de photobooth no Tea Building. O tempo mudou bastante e o inverno parece ter chegado com direito a neve e tudo (foram só cerca de 10 minutos mas foi uma excitação - dá para perceber que não neva onde cresci certo?)

We had a wonderful unplanned saturday that included both getting our hair cut (not the baby), a marvellous lunch at Andina and a new photobooth strip at the Tea Building. The weather suddenly changed and winter arrived in London with snow and everything (it was about 10 minutes but I was so excited - can you tell I grew up where it doesn't snow?).



Continuámos na nossa saga social para matar saudades dos nossos amigos depois de tantos meses ocupados a resolver todas as mudanças na nossa vida. Até tivémos uma visita de uns amigos do Japão (que agora vivem na Bélgica) e foi bom dar um longo passeio junto ao rio e rever uma das minhas vistas favoritas de Londres.

We continued to meet with lots of friends at our place and out after long months of being too busy with all the changes in our life! We had some friends from Japan (now living in Belgium) over and was good to walk with them near the river and see one of my favourite views of London.

Juntei-me ao naphopomo e postei muito mais este mês! Tinha posts mais interessantes alinhavados mas é mesmo difícil postar todos os dias! Mas ao menos actualizei o Project 52 o que me deixa muito feliz (e vocês completamente enjoados de fotos do meu filho ha ha ha). Adorei ler a Xanthe e a Jeanine todos os dias e agradeço-lhes terem sido um exemplo de motivação!

I join naphopomo and blogged more often! I had lots of more interesting posts planned but it was difficult. But at least I'm almost up to date in the Project 52 front which makes me happy (you guys are probably sick to death of my son ha ha ha). I loved reading Xanthe and Jeanine everyday and thank them for keeping me going with their example!

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E aqui estamos na recta final do ano e sinto-me muito muito cansada. Daqui a umas semanas estaremos em Lisboa para o Natal e espero poder relaxar um bocado (e resistir a encher os dias com actividades). E vocês, como foi o vosso Novembro e o que esperam para Dezembro?

We are in the last stretch of the year and feeling really really tired. In a couple of weeks we'll be in Lisbon for Christmas and I hope I'll be able to relax a bit more (let's hope we don't end up with an hectic schedule!). What about you guys, how was your November and what do you hope for December?

21 days without you

I remember it clearly. We were in our kitchen in Camden and you looked uneasy. "I have something to tell you". My heart started racing. "What?" I asked nervously. You hesitated and then said

"I want to travel alone"

Jeeeeeeeeeeeez. I started laughing. Relief!

That night was another milestone in our relationship. We talked, laughed and cried and learnt that just because we are together doesn't mean we have to do everything together. That we are still individuals and that being together means supporting each other, and supporting each other's dreams even if it means we are not totally part of them. For years you wanted to travel alone on your own and felt trapped because that's not what you do when you're in a relationship. To hell with that! We make our own rules in our relationship!

So a couple of months later off you went to Malaysia and Borneo for three weeks. I was in the thick of the master's degree toughest time with assignments and exams and had the idea of reporting those days without you. While you scuba dived I submerged under piles of papers and textbooks. While you experimented new foods I survived on easy meals (which may or may not include frozen pizza). While you conquered km I conquered deadlines and exams. While you explored the unknown I relaxed in our familiar neighbourhood. 21 days without you. Printed Instagram images and some notes. A time capsule.

 

 

But I still prefer the memories we make together.

around here - october 15

Novembro já vai adiantado e os dias voam. Não querendo parecer um disco riscado a maior parte dos dias sinto-me frustrada com o que consigo fazer durante os dias/semanas (pouco!) e preciso de ajustar as minhas expectativas. Notícia de última hora: não sobra muito tempo a quem trabalha a tempo inteiro e é pai/mãe (e porque é que não existe tradução para parent em português?). Há dias em que penso que devia aceitar as minhas limitações e esquecer este blog, o meu trabalho fotográfico, as minhas ideias criativas mas não, eu não quero esquecer este blog, o meu trabalho fotográfico ou as minhas ideias criativas! E tudo isto me soa ridículo quando estamos a viver dias assustadores com ataques terroristas que agora que chegaram tão perto metem muito mais medo. Mas agora vamos lá rever o meu Outubro...

We're quite ahead in November and the days are really flying by. While I don't want to be moaning all the time, many days I feel frustrated with the state of the affairs and I need to adjust my expectations of how much I can actually accomplish in a day/week. Newsflash: there isn't much time left for the full time worker and parent. Some days I think I should just embrace the limitations and forget this blog, my photographic work, my creative ideas but then no I am not ready to forget this blog, my photographic work or my creative ideas. And all this sound ridiculous when we're living frightening days with terrorist attacks that are now so close that are really really scary. But for now let's look back at October...

Outubro foi um mês de assentar poeira, pelo menos comparado com os anteriores. O apartamento está a ficar composto e começámos a sair da concha e a ter uma vida social outra vez! Recebemos amigos para almoçar, para jantar. Tivemos uma séries de festas de um ano de tantos bebés que conhecemos o ano passado. Até fomos a Winchester! Comboios! Sair de Londres! Yay, aventuras! Também passeámos por Brixton com os nossos amigos Ana e Paulo, onde também visitei o Pedro a vender os seus lindos cadernos.

October was a more settled month, at least compared with the previous. The flat is coming together and we also came out of our shell and started to have a social life again! We had friends over for lunches and dinners. We had a few one year old celebration party from all the babies we've met last year. We even went to Winchester! Trains! Leaving London! Yay, adventures! We met our friends Ana and Paulo in Brixton where I also met Pedro selling his lovely notebooks. 

Foi um mês MUITO intenso no trabalho mas estou feliz por conseguir deixar as preocupações e stress na secretária. Estou contente com o meu trabalho e tenho sentido uma enorme mudança desde que fui mãe. Sinto-me mais focada, mais confiante e mais satisfeita. Nunca conseguiria ficar em casa a tomar conta do meu filho e tenho zero sentimentos de culpa sobre isso.

It was a VERY intense work month but I'm happy to report that I'm leaving most worries and stress behind at my desk. I'm happy at work and have felt such a shift since becoming a mother. I'm more focused, more confident and also content. I couldn't be a stay at home mum and have zero guilt about that.

O Filipe começou a andar! É incrível a velocidade de desenvolvimento dos miúdos. Duas semanas depois das suas primeiras tentativas de andar já tinha deixado de gatinhar completamente e andava com confiança!

Filipe started properly walking! It's amazing how fast kids develop. In two weeks after his first wobbly attempts at walking he had quit crawling and walk quite confidently.

E melhor notícia ainda: finalmente começou a dormir a noite toda com consistência! A meio do mês estávamos à beira de um esgotamento, ele estava a dormir pior que nunca, a acordar a cada hora. Era demais para nós, pais exaustos que só discutiam um com o outro, e então pesquisámos, falámos e decidimos "treinar" o sono. E funcionou tão bem! Em três noites já estava a dormir a noite toda e nós sem acreditar! O único lado negativo é que começou a acordar mais cedo às 6h30, e desde que a hora mudou às vezes às 5h30 da manhã. Yaicks! Mas mesmo assim a nossa vida melhorou MUITO.

Also he finally started sleeping through a full night consistently! Mid month we were at the verge of break down, he was sleeping so badly, waking up every hour. It was too much for our tired souls, we were exhausted bickering and angry at each other so we researched, we talked and we decided to do sleep training. Oh my gosh! It worked wonders! In three nights we was sleeping through and we just couldn't believe it! The only downside was that he started waking up earlier (6h30) and after the hour change sometimes 5h30am! Nevertheless major improvement in our life.

No final do mês, adoeceu pela primeira vez. Teve febres altas e assustámo-nos mas foi apenas um virus forte e três dias em casa foram suficientes para ficar bom (felizmente apanhou o fim-de-semana).

By the end of the month he was sick for the first time! High fever (or temperature as they say here), we got scared but was only a virus that knock him down and three days at home were enough for full recovery (fortunately it was near the weekend).

E! Fomos ver os Beach House ao vivo! Há aaaannooooss que andávamos a tentar mas acontecia sempre algo. Desta conseguimos e foi muito bom! Tocaram no Shepherd's Bush Empire, uma sala lindíssima, o som estava óptimo e a voz da Victoria soou lindamente.

And! We went to see Beach House live! For yeaaaars we've been trying to see them and always something happens. But we made it this time and it was lovely. They played at Shepherd's Bush Empire, a beautiful venue and the sound was so good. Victoria's voice is beautiful.

Hoje nevou em Londres e de repente ficou muito frio. Já se vêem árvores de Natal e a contagem crescente para o Natal começou! Eu gosto desta altura do ano, chegar a casa sabe tão bem, beber chá, montar a árvore e ouvir canções de natal... :) Mantenham-se quentes amigos!

Today it snowed in London and suddenly became very cold. We started to see Christmas trees and the count down to Christmas has begun! I like this time of year, arriving home feels so good, drinking tea, decorating the tree and listening to carols ... :) Stay warm my friends!

around here - september 2015

Belgravia Mews - some days my works takes me to beautiful places.

Argh Setembro! Desde há quatro anos que Setembro é o mês de grandes mudanças de vida... Em 2011 mudámo-nos para Londres. Em 2012 entrámos no limbo, regressámos ambos a Lisboa mas eu vivi entre as duas cidades durante meses enquanto procurava um emprego. Em 2013 alugámos um apartamento juntos, depois de estar vários meses a viver sozinha em Londres. Em 2014 tivémos o nosso filho!
Em 2015 eu queria mesmo quebrar este ciclo de mudanças e até achei que tinha conseguido quando mudámos de casa em Agosto. Podíamos arrumar tudo num instante e relaxar em Setembro. So que nãããããoooo, tivémos tanto para fazer e com um bebé à perna tudo demora mais tempo. O novo apartamento é só parcialmente mobilidado o que nos obrigou a fazer muitas pesquisas e compras. Para além disso até tínhamos planeado fazer compras online para facilitar mas estivémos 3 semanas sem internet! A transferência do serviço do apartamento anterior foi mal feito e foram precisas muitas chamadas, queixas e irritações para que voltássemos a estar ligados ao mundo. Entretanto todo o nosso tempo livre foi ocupado com muitas viagens ao Argos e Ikea e lojas do bairro...

Argh September! For the last 4 years September has watched major changes in our lives... In 2011 we moved to London. In 2012 we entered limbo zone, we both returned to Lisbon but I lived between London and Lisbon for months while job hunting. In 2013 after being by myself for a couple of months working in London, we rented a new flat together and in 2014 we had our first child! 
I was determined to break this September cycle this year so I was so happy when we found our new flat in August. Yes! We could settle in quickly and have a relaxed September. Only noooooo, there was so much stuff to do and with a baby in tow everything takes longer (I should've known that by now!). Also the flat came only semi furnished so there was a lot of time spent searching and buying new stuff.  We had planned to buy mostly online but alas, we spent 3 weeks without internet! Argh! We transferred our service from the previous flat and let's just say they screwed it! It took many phone calls, complaints and annoyances to finally get our contact with the world wide web functioning again. In the meanwhile all our free time was spent in many trips to Argos and Ikea and local shops...

Bored baby being a champion at Ikea

Setembro foi também o primeiro mês inteiro com os nossos novos horários. Por causa da longa viagem do R até ao seu novo trabalho (2 horas para cada lado) eu estou responsável por ir pôr e buscar o Filipe à creche. No meu novo trabalho foram impecáveis e deixaram-me ajustar as horas, saltando a hora de almoço (continuo a trabalhar a tempo inteiro / 40h-semana) para que tudo funcione. E tudo tem funcionado mas os meus dias parecem uma maratona sem fim, quase sem tempo para respirar...

It was also the first full month with our new schedules. Because of R's extreme commute (2 hours on e way) I assumed both the drop off and picking up of the baby from nursery. My boss was very accommodating to change my working hours, skipping lunch hour (I work full time = 40h/week) to make it work. And it works but my days feel like a marathon with hardly any time to breathe. 

New commute and eyes on your screen all the time

Estou bastante contente com o meu novo trabalho, muitos desafios novos, mas estimulantes e sinto que vou aprender e crescer muito ali. Gosto do caminho para o trabalho. Os colegas são fixes e só tenho pena de ter tão pouco tempo para socializar.

I'm quite happy with my new job, it's demanding and full new challenges but exciting and feel that I will learn and grow much there. I like my commute as well. My new colleagues are nice and just feel sorry to have so little time for socialising.

The cutest!

Mas em Setembro celebrámos algo fantástico: O Filipe fez UM ano! Por um lado nem acredito que já aqui estamos, por outro não sinto que o tempo tenha voado, parece que passou mesmo muito muito tempo desde que começámos esta aventura. Sinto que mudei dramaticamente ao longo deste ano mas ao mesmo tempo sou essencialmente a mesma, se isso faz algum sentido? Mudei para abraçar todo este amor e alegria que esta mini pessoa me dá, todos estes novos sentimentos e emoções e ao mesmo tempo há este velho eu a gritar "não te esqueças de mim, ainda és a mesma pessoa de antes". Não sei se estou a fazer muito sentido. Tenho tentado reflectir nisto mas ainda está tudo confuso na minha cabeça - talvez seja da falta de sono :) ...

But in september we also reached an amazing milestone: Filipe turned ONE! In some ways I can't believe we are already here but at the same time I don't feel that it flew by, it seems a long long time has passed since we started this adventure. I feel I have changed dramatically throughout this year but in the essence I'm still the same, if that makes any sense? I have changed to welcome all this love and joy for this little person, all these new feelings and emotions and at the same time there this old me, or this core me screaming don't forget about me, you're still the same person as before. Not sure if I'm making myself clear. I've been trying to reflect a lot on this but it's all a bit fuzzy in my head - maybe it's still the lack of sleep :) ...

New park just around the corner. 

Ahhh Setembro, um mês agitado e emotivo, com muitas frustrações e adaptações. Mas sabem que mais, sei que vou lembrar com carinho estes dias, este início da paternidade e como lidámos com estes desafios como uma equipa de três e mantivémos o bom espírito, não nos deixando abater pelas chatices (uns dias melhor que outros).

Ahhh September, still a very unsettled month, with many frustrations and adjustments but you know what? I will have fond memories of these days, early parenthood, fighting these challenges as a team of three and I will also be proud how we kept our spirits up and were not defeated by the difficulties and frustrations.