Bec and Myles: pausing for thought in Cascais

Again, we did a magician-style quick change by putting Gill and Nathan in a cab on Monday morning and welcoming Bec (a friend of mine from university) and Myles in the early afternoon!

After some confusion at the airport, Bec and Myles took a taxi to our place - with a confused taxi driver, who got lost on more than one occasion and ended up on the wrong street, even though Bec showed him a text message with our address on it!

It was great to be able to host them both and be a venue for them to wind down on their hectic European jaunt.

Bec and I shared some great times reminiscing and generally enjoyed hours of 'girl talk', intermittently spending time with Thomas and Myles. :) Margaux was, of course, admired and adored and cuddled and played with...

Unfortunately we didn't take any photos, so I shall use this opportunity to show you a brief panorama of the Cascais Marina - as seen from a rooftop bar!

Stunning, huh?

We spent 3 special days together before Bec and Myles headed off London-bound, while we settled back into routine.

A long weekend with Gillian and Nathan

Gillian (a friend from my school days) and her husband Nathan dropped in to stay with us from Thursday July 3 until Monday the 7th, which was a delightful visit.

Thomas and I have learnt that it's better for both the guests and the hosts of a visit if the guests are given an itinerary or suggestions and are left to spend some time by themselves. Gillian and Nathan proved no exception to this theory, so they enjoyed a wonderful day in Lisbon by themselves, as well as a guided tour up to the Pena Palacio and back via the Cabo da Roca, which is the western-most point of the continent of Europe.

The four of us (Gillian, Nathan, Margaux and I) took advantage of the glorious weather and went for a walk along the coast past the Marina and on to the Boca do Inferno, which was stunning.

Clockwise from top left: Outside our apartment; the slopey horizon was a deliberate optical illusion...; Margaux fascinated by Nathan's watch; I was a bit concerned about the precarious positioning of our photographer when taking our photo at the Boca do Inferno

Gillian had a go at feeding Maggie, with relative success:

All too soon it was time to bid them farewell... until next time!

A mash of milestone achievements of Miss Maggie - including 2 passports!

I've been focusing rather more on our external adventures, rather than the milestones Margaux has been accomplishing. Once I get up-to-date you can expect to hear these with more frequency - for better or worse!

A very significant milestone in the life of a dual citizen (like Margaux) is to obtain validity of both. The French one was easier due to the European link; the Australian one was a little more longwinded to obtain. However, on April 16th Margaux received certification that she is an Australian citizen by descent, and her Aussie passport was granted on June 4th - using (in my slightly biased opinion) the cutest passport photo I've ever seen...

 
On to the physical development of our star attraction... by the end of May, Margaux had begun to roll over, which was all rather fun. Unfortunately she doesn't perform on command, so I haven't been able to get any of it on film. It was very cute, though: she'd roll over to the right and get on to her tummy but then her right arm would get stuck under her body. She figured it out soon enough, and was practicing endlessly.

By mid-June she was blowing raspberries and had started to make kissing noises by sucking her bottom lip in. Soooo cute!

This video was taken while we were in the reception of Thomas' work (hence the background noise) and I wanted to email him some incentive to get down as soon as he could!

I also took some footage of her laughing while Thomas entertained her from the dining table, filmed at about the same date:

As I mentioned in the Sarlat post, she has been a good sleeper from the get-go, which we are so thankful for - however I'm sure that, until we get an insomniac screamer, we will not appreciate just how calm she is...

Since she started experimenting with solids she is open to all sorts of flavours. Initially, she had an uncanny talent for putting a puree-laden spoon into her mouth and rolling it around inside, making it seem like she'd consumed everything, and then returning a spoon to us that was still effectively full! Thomas developed the technique of feeding her puree with the curved side of the spoon upward so that gravity assisted the food getting into her mouth, which was relatively successful.

She's been very keen on feeding herself from the start, which was hilarious when she couldn't co-ordinate matching the spoon with her open mouth. She's improved greatly since then, as you can see in the photo collage of the post Solids...

She was (and still is) growing out of clothes really quickly, which is good. Soon after she was born, Margaux was not putting on weight at a sufficient rate - directly related to me not drinking enough water - but now she is a long baby who is healthy in all proportions. Wonderful!

I'm sure there are plenty of milestones I've missed, but the essence is that she is growing up so far within the accepted parameters - and you can't ask for more than that! (Please don't read this as gloating... it is not about comparing; it's just an observation of the life of our gorgeous daughter.)

And joining us all the way from Malaysia... Fred and Cecilia!

Friday morning of June 11th saw Alex and Quentin packing up their belongings in preparation for their trip home. It was while having a cheeky beer in the afternoon that Fred and Cecilia rocked up, which was delightful. Brief pleasantries preceded the departure of the Belgian contingent, and Fred and Cecilia settled in. It felt a little bit like running a B&B (without the late checkout fee), but it's great fun to have so many guests.

Fred and Cecilia (from France and Malaysia) stayed with us for 4 days, during which time we enjoyed (another) seafood BBQ and explored around Cascais. The weather was simply stunning, so we made good use of it!

If you're into seafood, this is a pretty good BBQ!
Fred and Cecilia had a whole lot of practice handling Margaux...

The World Cup was still being played at this time and, in a happy co-incidence, the France v. Honduras match was on. Naturally we felt obliged to soak in some of the atmosphere, so walked along the foreshore until we found a restaurant with an alfresco area and a big screen TV... perfect! (France won, in case you're wondering...)

The collage below is of the restaurant mentioned above, plus a coffee on a rooftop bar in Casais. Gorgeous!

By the time Monday rolled around, Fred and Cecilia were ready to continue their journey of Portugal, so we bid them farewell with promises to catch up soon... maybe on the way to Australia some day..?

I interrupt this blog to bring you... a montage of Margaux

Since I started this blog retrospectively I keep finding gorgeous photos of Margaux and can't fit them into specific posts, so I've decided to dedicate one post just to that. Enjoy!

Some of the many expressions of Margaux... I took these when she was almost 4 months old.

Clockwise from the top left:
I sent this to Thomas when he was travelling and needed a Margaux fix... as if the message needed confirming!; Thomas and Margaux off for a morning walk; chilling out in the garden; two photos from a walk in the park near our place... I couldn't decide which I preferred!

 I love this montage. She is such a placid baby and is (so far) very happy having her picture repeatedly taken while in a bouncer, wearing a headband, and munching on a rubber giraffe...

Talk about eyes of blue! What a gorgeous photo this large one is.
Of the photos on the right, the top is her wearing a jump suit given to us by the real estate agent who helped us find our home. Hilarious.
And at the bottom, Margaux is being supported on Daddy's front.

Outside on a spring afternoon, just enjoying the weather and watching the world go by...

Alex and Quentin - special guests from Belgium!

Not too long after our delightful weekend in Belgium for Alex's 40th, she and Quentin announced they had some spare time up their sleeve and would love to share it with us. Great!

On June 7th they (minus their son, David, who was spending the week with his grandparents) touched down in Lisbon and began their week-long stay with us. Alex was still not able to tell anyone she was pregnant - and she certainly wasn't looking it! - but we made sure to take it into consideration when ordering or cooking food, for example.

Margaux was, of course, a hit from the get-go. She was happy to be handed around to everyone, and her calm and relaxed demeanor was fairly consistent.

As usual, I felt awkward that three of them had to speak English because I didn't speak French, but they were all very gracious about it and told me it was good for them to practice their English. Hmm.

There were two main themes to their visit: the beach and the food. Let me demonstrate:

Part #1: Sun, surf, and sand

(Please pardon the abundance of photos of me... really they're photos of Margaux and I happen to be holding her!)

Top line: At Guincho Beach (doesn't Margaux look like Popeye?)
Middle line: Thomas and Quentin playing beach volleyball; Maggie, Alex and I observed from a safe distance
Bottom line: post volleyball beverages... an obvious necessity.

We got ourselves all dressed and ready for a swim at Guincho Beach - including bathers for Margaux - but when we arrived we discovered the wind was unbearably strong! Quentin and Thomas braved the water and returned to where we girls had been sitting in relative comfort (read: a walled but open-topped café on the beachfront) soon after, looking rather like drowned rats. The important thing is that we can say we went to Guincho and nobody - apart from you, dear reader - will know that we weren't quite as adventurous as we thought we would be!

Quentin and Thomas decided to try to find an available volleyball court in Carcavelos Beach, which is a short drive from our home. Thankfully for them, this was a successful expedition. They played against each other, and then joined a couple of very capable looking players (judging by their physique and the important-sounding volleyball competitions on their shirts) for a few games.

After the requisite post-game beer for the lads, we headed home.

Part #2: Food, glorious food...

Main photo and the bottom left one: we ate at a very impressive Indian restaurant in Cascais
Top two: Margaux enjoying everyone's company at meal-time
Bottom right: dinner in Cascais on the inauguration of the FIFA World Cup in Brazil
(You can also see a pic of Thomas and Alex feeding Margaux in the post Solids)

While Alex and Quentin were here, we managed to cram in a BBQ (prawn and tomato kebabs; roast potatoes; avocado salsa), a meal in a typical Portuguese restaurant - yes, we ate a lot of seafood! - dinner at 2 wonderful Indian restaurants in Cascais, and dinner at a restaurant that was screening the World Cup!

(At the World Cup restaurant I asked Thomas if it was the luck of the draw that Brazil was playing in the first game, or if that was a privilege of hosting the competition. A Brazilian waiter overheard me and interjected with, "There's no 'luck' when it comes to Brazil." I think he may have wanted to eat his words a little while later when the first goal of the tournament was kicked by a Brazilian... into the other team's goal. Oops.)

All too soon it was time to bid them farewell - not before our next guests arrived, however...

Solids...

The time had come: Margaux was ready for proper food! We all, but mostly she, entered with great trepidation...

Here is a compilation of Margaux Vs. Food in no particular chronological order:

The first photo is Margaux's first taste of solids (pureed carrot)... thankfully her tastes have developed since then!

Margaux has been quite the little experimenter when it comes to solid foods. So far, she's leaning towards a sweet tooth, preferring yoghurt and pear/ apple/ blueberries/ banana, and any of the melons to her vege purees and soups. She also really gets into mashes - like banana and avocado, and bananas and orange juice (never would have thought of that combo myself, but she loves it!).

It does mean that she gets food stuck in every possible spot of her upper body - mostly in the folds of her neck, in and around her eyes, on her ears, and of course all over her hands.

She has been very keen on feeding herself from the start, which is mostly good news, but it does make for a messier meal-time!

Margaux's first trip to Belgium!

We settled back into our normal routine for most of May: Mums and Tots, and catching up with friends (both from M&T and some of the wives of Thomas' colleagues) for Margaux and me; working like a donkey for Thomas and enjoying our weekends together.

At various points through the year Thomas had been heading off to various countries for work, however I can't remember the dates so have glossed over them throughout the blog. It's always hard though, especially for him, but thanks to Skype he always gets his daily fix of Miss Maggie!

The highlight of May, however, came in the form of Alex's 40th! She had a 70's themed dress-up party, which unfortunately Thomas didn't read in the invitation so we were in the minority of casual dressers. Not that it was a problem; we both had a thoroughly good time anyway.

The party was on May 24 and was held at the home of she, Quentin, and their son, David. Not that anyone but us knew it, Alex was in the early stages of pregnancy...

We caught up with some old friends (including Michael, who visited us with Alex in 2009, and Aymeric & Charlotte) and met many new people, which made for a lovely evening. Margaux was a fantastically well-behaved baby, and was adored by all.

Margaux with various combinations of Michael, Charlotte, Thomas, and me.

We also had the wonderful opportunity to catch up with Marie, a pregnant Scholastie, Hippolyte, and Josephine on Saturday afternoon.

As with Marie and Scholastie's wedding, this was another quick flit (oh, living in Europe is such a treat) and we were back by Sunday night.

Australia Calling: friends and family

The rest of our 3-week trip was filled with loads of catch-ups with friends, where unfortunately I don't have any photos.

We had coffee and the most decadent cupcake ever with Emma White; a walk through the park with Kirsty Pitman and her two kids; a quick meet with Amber, Neill, and Marley Webster overlooking the river; coffee in Fremantle with Anna Smith; Indian dinner with Damon Sunderland and Brian Weinberg; and afternoon tea at Bec and Myles Hay-Hendry's house.

We also shared a very special ex- Radio Lollipoppers dinner with Barbara Treble and Katie Bovenkerk - held, fittingly, at Lanna Thai on the first Thursday of the month.

Katie got the hang of feeding Margaux very quickly, and Margaux seemed to enjoy it thoroughly!

Some photos from our last days in Perth... clockwise from main picture: Thomas giving Margaux the giggles; feeling curious with Pappy Pete; enjoying the view from over Uncle Jim's shoulder; playing with costume jewellery; observing life from the comfort of the grandparentals' bed; being pushed by Em to a winery that was part of the Harvest Festival; checking out some of the statues in the Festival.

And then it all came to a close... we left Perth with mixed feelings - and very heavy suitcases! - on the 3rd of May, in preparation for what was a long but eventless flight back to Portugal.

Australia Calling: Rottnest!

What an AMAZING 3 days!!!

I think everyone but us was quite shocked at the amount of STUFF we had to bring for Margaux for just a 3-day trip, but understood once it was all unpacked (travel cot, play mat, pram, clothes, toys, nappies...).

Clockwise from top left: Miss Maggie and her stuff; keeping James entertained; checking out the boats with Aunt Em; being doted on by Mamabear.


The three generations of Randells (including Thomas) stayed in a relatively sprawling Commander's cabin - three bedrooms, kitchen, dining room, lounge room, larder, bathroom, outside toilet, long verandah with outside table and couches, large back yard with BBQ - and our own beach. It was brilliant!

Clockwise from top right: With Pappy Pete; about to eat Dad's nose; our own beach; playing under the play mat; Jim the entertainer; Nick aptly singing "Little Maggie" to her; Margaux and Jim keeping each other occupied; an afternoon nap on the verandah; a close encounter with a quokka; Quokka!; a quiet moment with Mamabear.

Margaux was too small to fit into a bike seat, so we either took turns staying at home with her, or ventured out in the pram:

Mum, Dad, Aunty Em, and I went to The Basin

Maggie's first dip in the ocean! It was by no stretch of the imagination a failed attempt - the combination of the water temperature, the sound and movement of the waves, and the total uncertainty of everything quickly resulted in tears. She much preferred pelican watching with Aunt Em (bottom right photo).

The sunsets were legendary, and of course best enjoyed with a cold beverage:

On our private beach... as you do.

The final evening was celebrated with a fantastic meal at The Quokka Arms. It was a real 'pinch me to check this is reality' holiday that will remain in our minds - or at least on this blog! - forever.

Australia Calling: Easter at Dabakarn

We headed up to Dabakarn (the farm) the next day with all the family to spend 4 days together - along with a ragtag bunch of friends who would help build the walls of the straw bale house!

Dad, Mum, and some dedicated helpers had worked tirelessly to create the foundation ever since the idea was sprouted over a discussion while they (Mum and Dad) were in Portugal so that it would be at the wall-installation stage by the time we arrived. Objective achieved!

I'm sure the photos below are not in the correct chronological timeline... call it artistic license!

 Clockwise from top right: foundations laid; windows and doors being established; Daddy doing something requiring earmuffs; Thomas and Em; Jess, Wren, Clare, and Em taking a well-earned break; Clare and Em (I'll explain the bottles in the wall behind them below); all of us were in a uniform of shirts supplied by Wren; starting to take shape; the inverted tree branch will have custom-sized glass fitted in, making it a very unique window!

The bottles have been pushed in between the bales with the intention that they will form a stained glass-type light as the sun hits them. Clare and Wren cut the stems off empty wine/ spirit/ beer bottles and then taped each end to a length of poly pipe (to lengthen the bottles to accommodate for the thickness of the bales), before inserting them into the wall.

By day 2, the house was really starting to take shape. It was sundown that night when the carpenter-builders finished putting the roof on - and just in time, too, as the rain pelted down only a couple of weeks later!

 I think these photos are fairly self-explanatory...


Margaux of course was a focal point for everyone, and she behaved fantastically throughout.

We all took our post-work relaxation very seriously - so seriously, in fact, that no-one thought to use a camera. Let me sum it up quickly for you: great food, bountiful wine, beautiful acoustic music, wonderful friends and fabulous bonhomie.

And then we were Rottnest-bound...

Australia Calling: The first few days

Margaux's first long-haul flight was great. She behaved like the true champion that she is - we had a few people thanking us at the end of each flight for having such a calm baby!

Uncle Jim met us at the airport and, after a very tentative hold of his niece, took us to Mum and Dad's. Em also gave her a nervous cuddle but soon became more comfortable. Mum and Dad were, of course, delighted to be reunited with Margaux (and us).

A bit more than the rest of us, Maggie was a victim of jetlag and time difference so she was up at all hours of the night for the first week or so. It did mean, however, that I was walking with her down Anembo Rd (behind Mum and Dad's) at 01:30 under a full moon when (wait for it) we saw a kangaroo silhouetted in the moonlight!

We had one day of rest before a whole bunch of family and family friends popped over for brunch and to meet Margaux. It was a delightful morning, where she was adored by one and all. It was great way for all of us to start our holiday.

Top: Em, Maggie, Hattie, and Amanda 

Bottom: Lee Peters; Big Jen and Joce; Big Jen and David; Ros

 

 

And then came one of the trip’s highlights – and the reason we timed it for when we did – Amber’s wedding!! She, her husband Neill, their daughter Marley, and their immediate families attended the ceremony, and the rest of us joined them for the reception – held, fittingly, in the South Perth Rowing Shed.

Unfortunately none of us was very forward-thinking in the photo department, but is a pic of Amber and her family looking radiant:

 

 

 

 

 

A visit from Rebecca!

March was punctuated by two significant events: the first was a weekend where we were visited by Rebecca, a teaching friend of mine in Madrid, and our trip to Australia... but let's start with Rebecca. :-)

We had an absolutely delightful time, which included exploring Old Cascais, enjoying spending time with Margaux at home, riding tram 28 and visiting the main square in Lisbon, and checking out Guincho beach. Spending the whole day plus having dinner in Lisbon marked my first whole day away from Margaux - while she was being taken care of by Thomas, of course!

Clockwise from top right: Standing in the main plaza in Lisbon with the river to our backs; another beautiful plaza in Lisbon; pasteis de nata from The World Needs Nata in Cascais; a selfie taken on tram 28; tram 28; with Maggie at a restaurant near Guincho Beach (where the river from Lisbon meets the Atlantic Ocean); on Guincho Beach; a photo of the full complement of us at Guincho; an abandoned swimming pool next to Guincho... frequently the waves splash up through the portholes in the wall and crash into the pool; bathing Margaux; another photo in tram 28; and to finish, a photo of holding Margaux at home.

You can read Rebecca's account of her stay with us on her blog here (part 1), here (part 2), and here (part 3)

Mums and Tots

How could I have neglected this!

Before we moved to Portugal I investigated options to keep a 'trailing spouse' like me interested in life here, and discovered IWP (International Women in Portugal). Through this organisation I have become involved in a weekly playgroup (Mums and Tots), which has been a real life-saver for me.

The group is made up of a very internationally diverse group of women who have kids aged between 0-4 years old. They were happy to include me with my tot pending which meant that, when Margaux was born, I already had a support network here. Brilliant!

I took a few weeks off when Miss Maggie came along but ventured out with Mum to Lindsey's place on NYE, as you can see from the photos on the right-hand column below...

Clockwise from the top: The Mums and Tots group at Will's 3rd birthday; Lacy and Kari (who is holding 4-week-old Margaux; Kari and Margaux; Teia and Amelia observing Margaux; Nina with Margaux and Valeria with Sophia at Will's birthday; Leslie (holding Margaux), Kari, a Mum who I haven't met yet, and Sarah at Will's birthday... see what I mean about Margaux being handed around until the end of Mums and Tots? :)

Most of the Mums go absolutely gaga over Margaux (can you blame them??) as she's always the one of the youngest (and cutest and calmest) there...  basically we show up and Margaux gets handed round from Mum to Mum, and then I collect her at the end!

Every week it's more of a social event for me, as Margaux obviously can't really participate yet. Thomas came to one once and observed that so many women seem to wish to be Mums again... this way they get their weekly baby fix and then hand back the responsibilities once the session is over!

So there it is. Mums and Tots: my network of friends and my weekly social fix - plus those occasions where I see Mums outside...

With Nicky at Gulli Restaurant

Destination: Sarlat

We said farewell to Mum and Dad on Saturday, January 11th and then had 24 hours to ourselves before Thomas headed to Houston for work. It was a tough time for all of us as it was the first time Thomas had gone travelling for his job (unfortunately the first of many, but it is in his job description) and it was a very long week.

It used to be me who received souvenirs when Thomas went travelling!

On a much happier note, we spent the last 10 days of February in the Dordogne region - specifically Sarlat - which is a beautiful medieval town. We decided it would be more convenient to drive through Spain and the Pyrenees than fly because we would need a car when we got there, plus it's a hassle to bring all of Margaux's equipment on a plane.

 This is the main square... gorgeous, huh?

As you may be aware, Thomas and I have been doing some relatively long-term planning regarding our lives beyond the corporate rat-race, specifically when it comes to the environment in which we wish to raise our kids. We (mostly he at this stage, if I'm honest) have been looking at land that is arable, that can support a house plus an extra accommodation building, suitable to apply Permaculture principles, and with access to gas/ water/ electricity... plus be close enough to the town that I can get there by bike. Yes, an electric bike is very much on the agenda!

Incredibly, we (he) found a place that generally fits that bill, so we went there to scope it and other potential places out. The long story to the tale of why we didn't end up buying this piece of land can be summed up as being issues with the seller, more than anything else. It's really unfortunate, but we learned a lot along the way.

Thomas' parents joined us there (apparently they've never left home to go on a road trip earlier than this one... they had a rather large reward in the shape of Margaux waiting at the end!) and we spent 5 very cosy nights in a B&B that had a total of 2 bedrooms...

I should point out that at this stage she was sleeping through the night. Yes, she was under 3 months old. What a champion!

This was a very significant time for Thomas: apart from viewing the land, he was breaking the news to his Mum about the plan to quit the corporate (and financially secure) job he has to live a more sustainable life with me and our kids. This was received with mixed emotions, but we are ploughing on ahead.

The plans change all the time depending on many factors, but frequently it's the land itself... The rough outline at the moment is to have agricultural land for the growing of organic veggies to be sold in a farmers' market and/or through a veggie box scheme, plus for our own subsistence. I'm very keen on chickens, but we're still negotiating.

The other part will be a separate building that can be used as accommodation and as a space for workshops or retreats. This idea is frequently in flux... should it be a B&B as well? Should it be a B&B exclusively? Could it be a place for after-school care? Or a crèche? What kind of workshops would it attract? These plus other ideas roll around in our heads... Expect to hear updates on that one. :)

Margaux had just started to practice rolling her r's, which delighted Rita immensely. It's very cute.

Thomas celebrated his birthday there, which the B&B owners (the husband of whom is a retired pastry chef) marked by making him a St. Honore cake - depicted in the collage above. It is named after the French patron saint of bakers and pastry chefs (of course) and is essentially an entire cake of profiteroles and whipped cream. Good Lord.

All in all we had a very enjoyable visit, which was concluded by a 2-day drive back to the land of pasteis de nata and port.

First flight... Marie and Scholastie's wedding!

January 3, 2014, took Margaux on her first flit out of Portugal. She endured the delights of Ryanair with stellar tenacity, and behaved perfectly on both the take-off and landing of both flights. What a champion!

 The seating space left a little to be desired...

The wedding was an understated reception in the city hall, and was followed by a fun and informal dinner with typical food from the north of France... including the option of a chicken and maroilles cheese. Think smelly socks that have been wet for a few days and you'll get an idea of the cheese. Thankfully there were other choices.

The initial idea was to have everyone do a flashmob style dance (choreographed by Sixtene and sent as a video by email to everyone so they could learn it prior to the event) during the meal, but the layout of the restaurant prohibited it. As a result, we all ended up on the dance floor entertaining a very bemused couple.

It was a very quick jaunt and we were back in Cascais before we knew it.

Christmas in Portugal 2013

Thomas and I hope to celebrate Christmas annually alternating between France and Australia. Christmas 2013 was Australia's turn, however having Margaux made this a ridiculous notion.

As a result, we brought the mountain to Mohammed... celebrating Christmas with us in Lisbon were Mum and Dad; Thomas' parents; Marie, Scholastie, Hippolyte and Josephine; Scholastie's parents; and her three sisters plus their partners!! 

All in all it was a lovely celebration full of champagne, beer, laughter, spending time with new and old friends, meeting Margaux, and perfect weather! Again, this is best expressed in photos...

Three generations of the Bouchery-Randell family had a very special Christmas dinner at a phenomenal restaurant in Cascais called Hemingway.

 

 



Boxing Day - the day we celebrated Christmas together - started at our place, where everyone mingled very happily before heading off to Indian for lunch. 

 

What a handsome bunch we are!

 

 

Margaux slept... a lot.
























 
 

This photo is of Hippolyte is giving
Mammy and Pappy just some of the
drawings he did for Margaux...

 

Cousins!

 

Josephine loved being part of the action:  

 

 

Jean-Paul, Rita and 'les petits enfants' so far

 

 

 After a fabulous lunch we three headed back home for some much-needed sleep, while everyone else went for an explore around Cascais...

 

 

 

We split ways at the end of the day, but it was an absolutely perfect way to celebrate Christmas with Miss Maggie and each other.

 

 

Recovery continued at home...

Again, this whole period of time was a bit of a blur. I’ll try to keep it brief for both our sakes!

While Margaux, Thomas, and I continued to try to bond and work this whole ‘family’ thing out, Mum was working behind the scenes doing the various day-to-day operations – cooking, cleaning, washing etc. Bloody brilliant.
 

This really is going to be best expressed in photos with captions... currently I'm too inept to make any sort of montage, so you'll just have to see them in vertical descent!



Flowers sent from Bronwen, Amber, and Anna

 

 

Tucked up in her car capsule

 

A close-up of the star attraction



Bath-time has been a favourite time of day since birth!

 

 



Mamabear having a quiet moment with her first grandchild

 

Rita and Jean-Paul (Mammy and Pappy) arrived on the 7th, eager to see their latest grandchild. It was at this point that Thomas and I were relinquished of any need to hold Margaux - the grandmothers were on the case!

 

 

 

 

 

Poor Thomas was sick with bronchitis so was forbidden from close contact with Margaux as it was. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, he was running around trying to get her French passport sorted and going to work, as well as learning the whole parenting gig and trying to recuperate - plus working as a translator when needed...

 

 

 

But it was all worth it in the end!

 

 

That's Margaux at one week old - and it's the photo she'll have until she's 5 years old!

 

 

About five days had passed before I realised that Jean-Paul hadn't even held Margaux yet, so I set out to remedy the situation:

 

 

  Adoring Bouchery grandparents

Thomas and I occasionally got a look-in...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When Margaux was 12 days old, Mum, Jean-Paul, Rita, Margaux, and I set off for Lisbon. Unfortunately I think everyone thought that someone else had a plan or knew where we were going... as a result we spent 5 long hours with everyone politely trying to accommodate everyone else's needs/ desires, me wanting to sleep, no-one knowing where we were or what we were trying to accomplish, me trying to feed Margaux in public places for the first time, none of us speaking Portuguese... it was a bit of a disaster.







This photo was taken not too long before we left for home.. Jean-Paul had gone to find the car while we ladies had a cup of tea and a Portuguese pastry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pappy Pete arrived on the 15th, much to everyone's delight - especially his!

 

Dad, Mum, and Margaux explored some of the sights and coastline that make Cascais so beautiful, while I got some precious rest! 

 

Doting Randell grandparents

 

Sleeping Beauty

 

 

And then it was time to prepare for Christmas...