Dreamy Monday

I'm lying on the bed next to mancub and feel his heartbeat, I see his lips slightly moving and I smile uncontrollably. I wanted to sleep, I even fantasized a bit about it on our way home, but here I am dreaming with open eyes about writing, reinventing myself, about traveling, learning to print by hand and a lot of other awesome stuff.

Sean and I have been around Cascais today as it was sunny, well it was actually sparkling sunny and I even took my coat off wandering around checking shop windows, looking + smiling at people. I guess spring was in the air and the warmth got to everyone's hearts.

We also went to donate the clothes that don't fit him anymore - we met the couple at the station, they were happy + excited just like Marco and I were a few months ago. I hope and wish for the best to their new family, too.

I didn't have Santini ice-cream (or Eistini how Max, Petra's son invented in German) although it's super duper delicious, but carrots, yes plain old carrots mm they were so tasty and healthier.

Sean is turning to me and I feel him warm like a cat (although much, much better smelling) and even though I'm planning to work for the first time tonight in our new happy corner I just can't go away from him. He will have a bath later on and then I will tell him a bedtime story. He'll reply to me as usual: aaaw ooh ng aaaah uaa...

Everything changes

Last year's Christmas paper tree upgraded with decorations from Bo3mia.com

Online, finally. We connected to a Hot Spot for now, it's starting with Friday that we'll have a permanent internet connection. kittns prepared a lemon tea and we're taking a trip through the mighty world wide web.

So how have you been? Have you enjoyed the New Year party? Well, we had ours in bed and here is how.

When I was a kid my biggest wish at New Year's was to stay awake for as long as I could, long enough to even see the reruns on TV, if possible. My eyes were closing as I was unfailingly falling asleep around 1 am each year. Good thing I was on at midnight!

Then, several years later I made it, I managed to stay awake. In my years as a party girl I could stay awake even more than 24 hours, the uncomfortable high heels helped anyway.

Time went by and here we are, present time. On December 31 we went to bed and we fell asleep a little before midnight. We held each other tight, just in case we couldn't kiss like sleepwalkers. I forgot about the TV shows, dancing and champagne, I never wanted so much to stay home and spend New Year's in bed. And sleep, by all means.

The next day we continued just as relaxed. Still in bed, as our pyjama party for three was awesome. Our kid smiled to us, we played with him, we sang, we studied our face expressions, we made plans, had doce de leite ice-cream (just Sean had plain milk :-) and had rounds of sleep.

And just like that we discovered new ways to enjoy the New Year's, of course with lots of love + positive thinking on our side. Welcome, 2012!

Dear diary

It's 8.05 pm and Sean fell asleep (our bed is the best). No, no, not for the night, he's waking up every three or four hours to eat and he's a bit restless cause of the damn colic. We already started an intensive massage campaign against these pains + patience + of course love.

Days go by so fast and they lost their conventional definition, we no longer have tuesdays or saturdays... Perhaps you can live without this information but I succedeed to do my nails two days ago. While in train.

Today I could even work (how I missed it). Our baby wasn't bothered at all by Ophelia (for those of you who walked in late, I'm talking about our sewing machine).

Getting back to Sean, you should know we have plenty of things to do: besides eating (like there's no tomorrow), being diapered and dressed in pastels, we also walk along the coast, we dance with dad, take baths and almost spa treatments + massages. Oh, the good life!

I watch his sleep. In this crazy crazy world, through fixations and illusions he is our chance to stop and shout that miracles do exist!

It's almost 9 pm and I'm wondering what to do first (this rush is becoming a habit). Should I shower? Prepare dinner? Steal an hour's sleep? Write to friends?...

Marco sleeps next to me. He's got chores under his pillow, too. And everything revolves around the little man who sleeps peacefully trying out his first smiles...

It's 9.10 pm. (yawn)... Sleep well!

Hand painted pillow by kittns, one of the latest works

More gifts from Anca, earrings, Christmas decorations, magazines + such awesome packaging

Dirty dancing, handpainted children's bag by kittns

Welcome to this world, Sean!

November 24. Around noon I arrived at Cascais Hospital with painful contractions and made another CTG. The obstetrician said the labor hadn't started, so I went back home... unfortunately the pains went on every ten minutes like clockwork. I managed to have lunch and and be a bit around, but I couldn't finish the bags + pillows I was creating for our wonderful clients and friends. (You know me, even in these intense moments I was still thinking about kittn...)

At night I went back to the hospital, where I stayed until morning. The contractions went on all night, it was terrible. At 9.30 am I was taken to the delivery room. Everyone was professional and cool + they talked to me all the time... I was a bit scared, but I haven't realized when I heard  já está. The radio played Don't stop me now by Queen. Then it took forever until I heard his voice! Actually it was more like a very tender cry, two times and then another eternity until our eyes met for the first time.

It was a unique magic moment that I will never forget. I fell in love at first sight, even if I already loved him. Thank you for existing, Sean!

Later edit: A million thanks you all our friends who give blessings + good vibes here, on our Facebook page and everywhere: we are all connected, we are one big family!

It's the final countdown ta na na na

It's raining and I think autumn is finally here, or could be even winter as it will constantly rain for the next three months + even the temperature won't go below 10 degrees.

My baby is kicking and rolling and dancing and hiccuping and it feels like ages since I first felt the butterfly wing sensations in my belly. He's got a strong will that makes me think my body is not mine anymore or it's just to rent.

I won't lie and say it's all peaches. I feel very heavy and slow lately, especially when I do things that used to take minutes and now take hours. The fact that you can't tie your own shoe laces can be frustrating, too. Watching helplessly how your body changes, having mood swings, feeling like you don't have a clue about anything anymore... Uhm, have I mentioned the back pains? :-)

But the good part, oh the good part is that it's all amazing beyond words. You don't have to trust me, just try it!

There is just one week left. Regarding the previous post we wrote about time... It's really hard not to run to the future. From worries of missing stuff like chairs or carpets at home, or that we might need an extra blanket or basket or... whatever, to imagining the first moments with the baby it feels like the biggest adventure so far, honestly.

Thanks to ceiling cat for my friends that are helping + caring + positive! My admiration and love go to all women who travel this road of motherhood, of course beginning with my mom + my dear friends who have babies.

Also, to the wonderful women who make it home safely carrying babies and groceries, to moms who don't have the luxury of a washing machine or another item we might be taking for granted, to working moms, single moms and student moms, thank you for keeping on loving your children and yourselves.

3, 2, 1...

How to make a baby blanket

Before revealing the surprise project I've been working on, I want to say a few words about the last hectic days.

So we finally found a home and we already moved some stuff especially my mobile kittn corporation, that's why I was there yesterday working but actually breathing, listening to the silence, enjoying time alone... have I already said breathing?

Needless to say yesterday passed in a second.

I felt very calm, comfortable, all in all having again those feelings of something being just right. Not mentioning I was very inspired and motivated to work!

The apartment is a small studio with a big kitchen that I can somehow separate in two, arranging a work space. It's not completely furnished yet so it will tke a while until everything is into place, but you know what I loved?

The sun shines there all day, the windows are as big as the walls + the light plays all day letting me enjoy a wonderful sunset at the end of each day, just like the little prince wished.

And speaking of a little prince, here's the latest invention: a bright colored (I told you I felt happy in the new home) baby blanket that can serve as a cover or as a play mat.



I calculated that being about 80 x 90 cm it will have 12 (20 x 30 cm) pieces of fabric accordingly so I cut + sewed them together.

I created the felt animals + hearts separately, then I stitched them onto the fabric. For the other (warm) side of the blanket I chose a very thick fleece piece in bright turquoise.

I sewed the parts together, then brought them on the right side and finally stitched a line along each side creating a firm margin.



So this is it, a very cute easy to make baby blanket. If you have any questions or wish to use the same patterns, drop us a line anytime and we'll e-mail you the instructions.

Kisses + hooray for freedom, joy and new homes!

Work in progress... what could it be?

The most complete pregnancy guide

You are a miracle. Each second we live is a new unique moment that's not going to happen again... And what do we teach our children? We say two plus two equals four and Paris is the capital of France. When are we going to teach them what they are? We should have said to each one of them: you know what you are? You are a miracle. You are unique. There has never been a child like you, with the same legs, with your arms, your agile fingers or the way you move. You are able to become all that you want to be. Yes, you are a miracle. And when you grow up, would you really hurt another one like you, another miracle?
I found this introduction in an Anne Geddes book I bought on a huge sale on Saturday. I was so happy to finally own a glimpse of her work that I carried the book with the excitement as of discovering a precious treasure chest.
There is not much to say when it comes to miracles. You feel a miracle, you praise it, you dream about it and wonder. You just can't put much into words and that is why each time I wanted to write here about carrying a baby - moods, fun facts and even pregnancy eating habits - everything faded away making room just for life to go on and grow.
If you are already a mom you know, if you will be one you will know everything is a personal experience, an intimate journey. To all, I have one suggestion to make: listen to your bodies + inner voices + intuitions, they are the best manual you've got. Eat what you need to eat, wear what you want to wear, cry when you need to cry.
One of my best friends had her baby last week. It seems just yesterday we were in school. Now I look at her looking at him and I can see the miracle is there in her eyes too.
And it's only the beginning...

How to make a baby girl t-shirt

Today's post is about creativity.

Transform, innovate + actually do the whole process, not just have an idea. I hope we lose the fear of making mistakes, let ourselves free and create. Oh, and it's OK if we don't start from scratch (we won't invent the wheel again - darn it - but we will certainly build it better, give it other use or make it nicer, which is equally important).

So grab a t-shirt (new or older, for you or loved ones), pieces of fabric, scissors, needle, thread + other accessories like pom-poms, buttons, bows, anything will do.



Cut a heart shape both from the original t-shirt and fabric. Sew the new heart on the t-shirt.



Draw on another piece of fabric using textile acrylics or markers. It can be anything and the only skills you need are joy + love. Sew over the heart.

Tadaaa! One of my best friends is expecting the loveliest baby girl so I made this t-shirt for her (there is a whole meaning behind the use of a panda bear). I hope she'll like it...

... and I hope you too have an awesome session of creating, I promise you will feel great!

Once upon a time in August, a baby scan...

Hi superstars.

I've been so busy this week with boring necessary papers + documents baby related like medical stuff, social insurance & co, but I've been thinking about writing here all the time. So now you will read all about yesterday's adventure, all on a very personal level.

I finally had the second trimester morphology scan yesterday . As it turns out most doctors here in Portugal take the month of August off so I had to travel rather far, changing the train for the metro but it was worth it, cause surprise surprise there was the Zoo right across the clinic. The thing is it takes a whole day to visit it all, so I decided to leave it for another time. I spent nearly two hours though chilling in the small park at the entrance dreaming about my baby, being nervous watching fountains and monkeys and of course people.

The time had come, I went in to make the scan... With all due respect, if it wasn't for my serotonin happy mood, I would have probably had a big argument with the staff. They were such in a rush and lack of care as if Moms were there on an automatic assembly line, not for the miracle that was bringing a human being into this world. You know me, I always see the full half of the glass, so I escaped their gloomy energy and focused on meeting the baby.

I couldn't see much on the screen though, I told you they were hasty + no one was explaining. But through that cloud of rapidly moving shadows and thick air, I heard a voice:

E um rapaz! (it's a boy)



I think my levels of hormones, conscience, unconscious, blood flow, electromagnetic waves (and other useless terms when it comes to living moments like these) went through the rooftop anyway as I imagined how my boy was cuddling there in my belly, being with me all this time, every second of it.

You know those people you see in the bus or subway, they're smiling uncontrollably+ their eyes sparkle and you think they're crazy? Well, they're not, they're just happy. I smiled all the way back in the train, I couldn't help it. It was unique.

M. and I both thought of girls names, so I prepared a surprise. On my way to his work I went to H&M, said goodbye kitty for now and bought a very first (not pink) baby t-shirt.

(By the way I was thinking who made this separation - girls equal rose + glitter, boys equal blue + dragons - it's a bit of a nonsense, don't you think? Why shouldn't my boy wear glitter? We're all stars anyway. And my favorite color is blue, I love dragons, but I'm not a boy. Hm, whatever.)



Yeah, so I took the small t-shirt out of my pocket and I watched Marco's face. He was still as a statue, but then I realized he needed something to lean against... He was overwhelmed, maybe more than me cause you know we are the strong ones! :-)

We had lunch on a bench by a small creek. We stayed mostly silent, afraid not to wake up from the sweetest dream.

Do you remember I was telling you I didn't fully realize what was going on some months ago? Well, everything feels more and more real. And when I say real I mean this wonderful boy that picked me to be his Mom... Who is it going to be? How is it going to be?

I look at my bump knowing he's there inside and I wonder does my heart really beat for you child, or is it really you giving me life?

The kids are alright.

Who ever thought this day would come when I would stare for hours at the small growing bump in my belly trying to imagine that there is actually someone there getting ready day by day to step into this world. Amazing is the word that I often use, because no other words would do. If you are already a mommy you must know how it feels, and probably even more than me by now, if you're not I can recommend what I think is the best film of its genre: it's called In the womb, a documentary produced by National Geographic (if it's difficult to get it just write to me and I will be happy to transfer it to you).
We are very young - just 13 weeks and three days - but we are very alert so far. We already have friends: Maia wearing the Loves me loves me not bear t-shirt, hat and trousers from personal wardrobe and parent as accessory and



Adina wearing a version of Don't worry trees t-shirt with her Nana (who's a yoga teacher). I'm happy the t-shirts I created helped strengthen the bond and now I feel like making more stuff for kids.

Also, my best friends from uni and primary school are pregnant, Denisa is due in August and Maria in October - I'm so excited but at the same time I can't believe yet that I'm actually talking seriously about these things...
Have a fun week and remember the kids are always alright and we must see they stay that way!

If it's March it must be love!

If I haven't told you that you can wear kitten t-shirts when pregnant and they're also available for babies, I'm proudly telling you now... and I've got the photos to prove it!
Andreea is just beautiful with her Hold Me tee and Adina rules the world (on her dad's birthday)!