We’ve already driven from London to Lisbon 6 times and then back. 5 of those long drives with kids were with: a 3 months old; a 2 and a half year old and me pregnant; a 3 and a half year old and a 6 month old; a 4 year old and a 1 year old, and a 4 and a half year old with an 18 months old. So, I’m starting to feel more or less like a long-drives-with-kids-expert and here are my top tips for long drives with kids. (Please note that what I’m describing as a long trip is a drive that include overnight stays along the way) I’ve written a few things on the subject when my eldest was 3 months on this post, but 5 years later feel I have things to add now. Especially now that I have two kids in the car and we’ve done quite a few more of these. Let go of your pre-trip anxiety! “Sure Millia, such an easy thing to do!” You’re right, it’s not. Please don’t give up on me straight away. I can’t sugar-coat this trip as easy because it isn’t . It is tiring and there […]

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As my youngest has just turned 2, I think it’s a good idea to make a post sharing the toys that I think are great for her age and current abilities. I’ll also list some items that I bought my son when he was 2, and that she currently loves. I’ve noticed that most of the posts that I found online whilst looking for ideas were American, and I confess that I got slightly frustrated that some items don’t exist in the UK. So I decided to make this UK list. Please note that these are suggestions that my kids like (and liked) at the age of 2, and that you don’t have to purchase them from these links. I am a huuuuge fan of charity shops and second hand items, so I always suggest visiting your local shops in search of these item if you have the spare time and don’t need them straight away. But if you’re in a rush, can’t be bothered to browse in person, or like to buy everything online, I’m sharing links to the items on Amazon.co.uk for ease. Here are my favourite items for a 2 year old in the UK. P.S. – […]

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After our first trip from London to Lisbon with our then 3-month-old baby I wrote this post mainly about the fears and the struggles of travelling with a small baby for the first time. Since then we’ve traveled a lot more back and forth not only with my firstborn but also with my secondborn, so there’s a lot more knowledge and experience on these trips now. If you want practical trips on things that are helpful for the trip and toys that entertain kids on those trips, please check the following links and read them after reading this first experience. I hope this information is useful to you. Before we travelled One of the things that everyone tells you when you talk about having babies is “no more travelling!”. I’ve always challenged this assumption and thought (and said) “Why? It must be slightly more challenging, but some people do it”. “Oh, you have no idea”. I would then kind of give up and wouldn’t challenge it too much as I didn’t have babies, so if this was true, I would only understand it once I had them. And then I had a baby. As we are Portuguese we had to […]

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Here is my very much overdue post that follows up on Breastfeeding sucks. I can give you a little spoiler, but basically at 10 months, I’m still fortunate to be breastfeeding my baby. Both because I can and want, and also because my baby wants to. My goal is to breastfeed for 2 years (for its perceived psychological benefits more than the physical ones) but I’m happy if we reach the 1 year mark. One day (and month) at a time. Then came the storm On my previous post, I mentioned that Dinis was being slow to pick up weight. And he was. I started noticing that he was quite slim at a certain point, but I thought that maybe he was just one of those slim kids. Not all babies are fat, mine wasn’t. My mum and mother in law also didn’t look very confident about is slimness, but so far they hadn’t been that supportive of breastfeeding anyway so I slightly dismissed it as over-worrying (like grandmas do). Not that they were against it, but they just weren’t very confident about the whole process. With the lack of information, none of them breastfed for very long and, in […]

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Weirdly enough, I wasn’t going to write about this theme this week, but the thought just crossed my mind and I better take advantage of it before it vanishes out of my brain. A friend of mine has a maternity blog and one of her posts this week was about the 5 worst things she’s heard as a mum. As I started reading it I could relate to all of the things (in my own way and through my own perspective) and she made a call for us readers to share our own. So instinctively I started thinking of my own. And as a succession of ideas came to my mind I realised something (not really related with what she wrote #bearwith) I realised that I belong. I belong to this massive group of women that have one thing in common: we had babies. So it’s interesting because no matter what’s going on in our lives, where we live, what we do, how uch money we have, there’s one thing that we all can relate to: that we had babies. And it’s comforting. But as much as there’s good side to it, there’s also a bad one. Let me start […]

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I have a post ready for tomorrow, but today I wanted to be thankful for my baby. This is Dinis. My little bundle of joy. My happy lovely super cute baby. And today he turns 10 months. Like the typical cliché that comes out of the mouth of every parent: I can’t believe he’s 10 months! He’s already starting to chat (the usual nonsensical words I call Latin – because it’s a language I don’t really understand), he’s actually walking around and holding on to everything to pull himself up, dragging himself around on the floor when not walking (he didn’t figure out how to crawl, he literally drags himself around like a slug), trying to get himself killed by holding on to things that can fall on his head or playing with cables and sockets, and oh my, is he stubborn! The mood swings and defiance has started my friends! Though days lately, tough days. But he’s also cute, adorable, sweet and so happy most of the time! We’re either very lucky or doing something right. Or (hopefully) both. Happy 10 months my love. Hug,Millia :::::::::::::::::: Come follow me!For blog updates on Instagram, Facebook and TwitterTo get to know me a […]

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Oh my. Breastfeeding sucks big time. Well literally. There is an actual baby sucking on your boobs. But my, am I not having the best experience with it. I totally and absolute understand why so many give up. I’ve always supported breastfeeding as the first option for babies since forever, it’s what feels natural in my head. I didn’t judge women’s decision not to breastfeed, I think everyone is entitled to do whatever is best for them and for their babies. But for me, I just think breastfeeding is the best option especially for the baby. But my oh my, how I now understand why there’s so many not doing it! Here’s the truth The truth about breastfeeding is that for most of us it absolutely sucks. Whether that’s temporarily (especially in the first month) or throughout the whole process. For some lucky women and their babies (genetics is a lucky algorithm) it’s simply natural and second nature. Babies come to the breast, make or are quickly taught how to do a good latch and know how to suck correctly. Breasts might be slightly sore due to milk let down a few days or a couple of weeks into it (that’s when […]

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I have a baby! I keep repeating this out loud every now and then. It simply feels quite surreal that I have created a baby! In my belly! #saywhat It’s now been almost three months and honestly, I have been wanting to write about the whole experience (pregnancy, labour, post pregnancy) but so far it’s been so overwhelming that I keep postponing writing for the blog. When not caring for my baby, or out and about, I sincerely just want to rest. Whether that is by sleeping or being on my phone chatting to my fellow mum friends and my family (who unfortunately are based in Portugal), getting distracted with a stupid game I’m addicted to or watching some videos/series online. But let’s finally get down to business. Pregnancy Pregnancy was frankly a good easy one. Of course, I say this and yet I had to deal with some worrying moments. And despite it all, he stayed in until he was 41 weeks and I had to be induced. All in all, I have a very positive experience: no morning sickness, no trouble sleeping and a good end of pregnancy where I listened to my body and was able to rest […]

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So, I’ve been neglecting this blog for quite a bit, but I haven’t forgotten about it! Excuses are what they are but: I’ve started a new job We had quite a few friends visiting in the past months And well… I have a baby in my belly!!! I’ve now been pregnant 35 weeks and counting. Gosh, time flies and the baby is due in about a month… It’s scary! Up until a couple of weeks I didn’t have a crib, a car seat, a changing station, a pushchair… #NotReady I basically had just stock up in really cute clothes, a couple of adorable toys and far too many books! But I still need quite a few things that might be quite important… Like, I don’t know, packing a hospital bag!!!  So yeah, I’m not totally ready yet. But hopefully he’s just like his mum and he’s not ready to come meet the world sooner than he’s supposed too either!  And yes! It’s a baby boy!!! We’re thrilled and getting more excited by the minute. But let me tell you all about it. Well not all, don’t worry. Just some key points from the beginning of this journey. #DontBeAwkward We created a […]

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