Oh Me, Oh Mãe II (2022-23)

I started Oh Me, Oh Mãe II after giving birth to my second daughter, L, in February 2022. It is about being a mother of two while also continuing sub-series (family portraits, 'Portrait Of A Mother Of A ___ Month Old' and 'Imitating B ___') that I made in my Oh Me, Oh Mãe and Waiting For Things In A Time When You Wait For Things projects.

Imitating B (and now L) grew naturally out of deciding that I would not show my children's full faces within my images; when they appear, I crudely edit over their features.

Within this project, I continued to document motherhood whilst being as honest as possible about my experiences. The images are accompanied by diaristic text in the form of hashtags.

This project came to an end when I decided to stop writing hashtags to accompany my work. I am continuing my motherhood work in Oh Me, Oh Mãe III, but am now experimenting with text and poetry.

(Below are a selection of images)

I posted all the images and hashtags to my Instagram account.

Portrait Of A Mother Of A Thirty Five Month Old And A Fifteen Month Old (10th May 2023)

#IAmALittleBitEarlyWithThisThisMonthAsWeAreGoingAwayToLondonForAFewDaysAndTodayWasMyBestDayToGetThisAllDone

#IFeelQuiteSelfConsciousAboutNamingThisSubSeriesWithSuchBigMonthNumbersAsIKnowItAnnoysSomePeople

#HoweverAsIDoItMonthlyIThinkItMakesSenseToKeepItThisWaySoYeahBIs35MonthsWhichMeansSheIsAlmostThreeAndICanNotBelieveIt

#OnMondaySheSawHerBestFriendWhoMovedAwayAndItWasSoNiceToSeeThemReunited

#SheKeepsTalkingAboutHowHerFriendDidNotWantAGingerbreadPersonWhichMakesMeLaugh

#BHasStartedToGiveReallyNiceHugsAtBedtimeThoughSometimesSheDoesPutMeInAHeadlockAndTryToLickMe

#SheAlsoLikesToPretendToEatMyHairAndSheDoesItQuiteConvincingly

#LastNightSheWasTouchingMyNoseWithHerNoseAndThenTiltingHerHeadBackwardsWhichFeltLikeChoreography

#BsBedtimeIsGettingLongerAgainWhichIsStressingMeOutButIAmNotSureWhatICanDoAboutIt

#IProbablyAmLettingHerNapTooLongButThenSomeDaysIGetHerUpEarlierAndWeHaveTheSameIssue

#IAlsoShouldEncourageHerToRunAroundMoreThanAnHourBeforeBedtimeRatherThanLettingBAndLHypeEachOtherUpJustBeforeBedtime

#TheyHaveStartedToHugEachOtherMoreAndLGetsReallyExcitedWhenSheSeesBInTheMorningWhichIsCute

#LGoesToBedQuiteEasilyThoughButIJustNeedToWorkOnHerNotWakingUpAtFive

#IWouldLikeThemToStartSharingARoomNowButIStillFeelLikeItIsNotFairOnBAsSheSleepsSoMuchBetterThanLAndTheirNapTimesAreSlightlyDifferent

#IHaveBeenFeedingLInBedMoreLatelyInTheMorningWhichIsProbablyNotHelpingWithHerEarlyStartsButMaybeIWillNotBreastfeedHerMuchLonger

#OhYeahIHaveNotTalkedAboutWhyITookThisPhotoYet

#IAmSurprisedThatLIsStillBreastfeedingAsBStoppedQuiteEarlyAndIHaveWantedToTakeAPhotoLikeThisAgainForAWhile

#IDoNotThinkIAmReallyProducingThatMuchMilkButSheStillSeemsQuiteHappyToFeedAndIAmHappyToContinueInWaysButNotInOthers

#IThinkTiagoWouldPreferForMeToStopSoThatWeCanTakeItInTurnsPuttingTheKidsToBed

#IAmAlsoIntriguedToSeeIfStoppingWouldHelpWithTheEarlyWakeUpsButMaybeSheJustNeedsLessSleepThanBIDoNotKnow

#ITryToNotRushToPickLUpInTheMorningButItIsHardWhenSheIsLikeAFoghorn

#ThisCouldBeTheLastShootOfMeFeedingHerAndIJustWantToShowHowMuchSheHasGrownSinceLastTimeIDidAShootLikeIt

#IThinkIHaveMentionedBeforeAboutTheGuiltIHaveOverBsFeedingJourneyBeingShorterThanIWantedItToBeAndSeeingImagesLikeThisByOtherPeopleWouldUpsetMeSoSorryIfThisUpsetsAnyone

#ThisWeekendWeMightAllShareARoomAndTheThoughtIsStressingMeOutABitButWeWillCope

#TodayLWantedToTakeTiagosOldBankCardReaderToBedWithHerForHerNapSoILetHerWhichMaybeWasNotWiseButSheWasGettingUpsetWhenITookItOffHer

#IDeletedTheBabyTrackingAppOnMyPhoneThisWeekWhichFeelsLikeABigMilestoneInWays

#WhenBAndLWereLittleIWouldInputEveryFeedAndNapAndNappyChangeButItHasGotToThePointNowWhereIHadStoppedDoingAnyOfThatSoItMadeSenseToSayBye

#SometimesIDoWonderIfMyLifeWouldHaveBeenEasierIfIHadJustHadOneKidButIAmHappyThatWeHadL

#WeJustHaveALotOfStressGoingOnRightNowWithFutureHousingSituationsButHopefullyWeWillSoonKnowWhereWeStand

#INeedToSleepNowAsThisWeekIAmMarkingALotOfEssaysAndINeedEnoughBrainPowerForEverything

I Smell Of Sour Milk (21st February 2022)

*Trigger warning* Bleeding

#TheOtherNightWasVeryEventfulWithMeGoingToTriageDueToMyBleedingGettingHeavier

#IHadChecked111AndCalled999AgainButAClinicianSaidIWouldBeBetterOffCallingTheHospitalAsMidwivesWouldKnowMoreThanAParamedic

#EveryoneTreatedMeABitLikeAnIdiotForHavingCalled999ButIDidNotKnowThatIShouldCallTheHospitalForSuchThings

#WeGotBOutOfBedAndGotThereBeforeTenAndSheDidNotSleepUntilWeGotHomeAfterOneThirtyEvenThoughTiagoDroveAroundABit

#ItWasOurFirstFamilyTripOutInTheCarAndBWasQuiteExcited

#LCameInWithMeAsINeededToBreastfeedHerAndSheNappedOnMeAndOnTheChairs

#ISawAStudentMidwifeFairlyFastWhoDidMyObservationsAndThenIHadToWaitForAMidwife

#SheAskedSomeMoreQuestionsButSaidItWouldBeBetterForADoctorToSeeMeSoIWentBackToTheWaitingRoom

#TheWaitingRoomWasHotSoIDrankMyWaterFastAndINeededToGoToTheToiletButThereWasNowhereForMeToPutLInTheBathroom

#AtSomePointAMemberOfStaffSawIWasUncomfortableAndAskedIfIWantedAHotDrinkButISaidNoAndAskedHowMuchLongerWouldItBe

#SheCheckedAndSaidNotLongButItWasAnotherHourPlusAfterThat

#IWasCryingInTheWaitingRoomUnderMyMaskAsIWasGettingSoTiredAndWasStressedByTheWholeSituation

#EventuallyADoctorSawMeAndSaidEverythingWasFineButGaveMeSomeAntibiotics

#InTheMorningIPassedABigClotThatLookedABitLikePlacentaAndWasTheReasonIWentInInTheFirstPlace

#TheyHadSaidToBeConcernedIfAClotWasBiggerThanA50pPieceButTheyDidNotTakeMuchNoticeOfIt

#ItHasTakenUsAllAFewDaysToCatchUpOnOurSleepAfterThatEpisode

#IHaveBeenGoingToSleepAsSoonAsLIsSettledIfIFeelTiredEnoughOtherwiseIJustRestInBed

#MyEyeMaskIsSoUsefulNowNotJustForNapsButForNightTimeSleep

#LHasAColdAndIsVerySnottySoWeFinallyGotANasalAspiratorWhichIWishWeHadGotWhenBWasABaby

#TheWeatherIsSoTerribleAndIHaveFeltQuiteTrappedAtHomeWhichIsNotFun

#WithBIDidNotLeaveTheHouseForTwoWeeksButThisTimeIGotOutPrettyEarly

#ICanNotWalkForTooLongAsIAcheButItIsGoodToGetOut

#IFeelBadAsSinceLWasBornIHaveNotAlwaysBeenAtTheWindowToWaveBOffToNurseryOrWelcomeHerHome

#SheLooksOutForMeWhichMakesMeFeelWorseButWhatCanIDo

#TheRegistryOfficeCalledAsTheyOpenedNewSlotsForAppointmentsSoWeGotMovedForwardAMonthAndAHalf

#BreastfeedingIsDefinitelyGoingALotBetterThisTimeThoughWhenMyUnclesCameToVisitIRealisedISmelledOfSourMilk

#IWashMyClothesAndThenPutOnANewTopAndThenLeakOverItAgainPrettyQuickly

#IAmWorriedAboutHowThingsWillBeWhenTiagosPaternityEndsAndIWishHeHadMoreTimeButIWillJustHaveToGetOnWithIt

#IKnowIAmLuckyWithBGoingToNurseryAndMyMumVisitingSoItWillNotBeAnywhereNearAsBadAsItCouldBe

#INeedToWorkOnGettingOutOfTheHouseWithBAndLByMyselfForAWalkWhichIAmQuiteNervousAbout

#AHealthVisitorCameTheOtherDayAndLWasOnly50gOffHerBirthWeightThoughSheThenPissedAllOverTheScalesSoProbablyWasABitMoreOffIt

Mastitis Is No Joke (5th / 7th March 2022)

Imitating B’s Toddler Style (24th / 26th March 2022)

Imitating B’s Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease (12th / 13th April 2022)

Second Family Portrait As A Family Of Four (3rd / 8th May 2022)

Portrait Of A Mother Of A Twenty Seven Month Old And A Seven Month Old (13th / 14th September 2022)

Imitating B Using A Watering Can As A Trumpet (27th / 28th September 2022)

34 / Portrait Of A Mother Of A Twenty Eight Month Old And An Eight Month Old (October 2022)

Imitating B’s Sad Face (19th / 20th January 2023)

Seventh Family Portrait As A Family Of Four (25th July / 2nd August 2023)

Previous Project: Máscara Maternal (2022)

Next Project: Oh Me, Oh Mãe III (2023-)

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