Garden makeover (1) - excavation

We hired a guy with a bobcat to excavate a small part of the garden and even out the extra earth. We won't be able to use the back garden for a little while.
It looks like a war zone!

Playdates & friends

Lara had two playdates this week, her first with little girls from daycare.

Annie came over after ballet on Monday. Annie's 5 days younger than Lara, her little brother is two months older than Sam and they only live a few blocks away. They even have a black dog like Zeb. The two little girls played fluttery fairies and dress-ups and had a great time. The two little boys got fed and giggled a bit.

Abigail & Lucinda came for a play this afternoon. Abigail and Lucinda are sisters, Lara's 8 months younger than Abigail but 8 months older than Lucinda. There were more 'incidents' this time. There was a grazed knee, crying from all three girls (not at the same time!), and a thunder storm (Abby and Lucinda's Mum had to rush out to get my washing in). Three playing together seemed to have a different dynamics than two.

There is also a first birthday invitation from daycare this week. When asked if she and Lachie are friends (just a lazy Mom thinking if they don't play together, we can save a trip), Lara said "Sometimes".

Talking about friends, Lara came home one day and announced Matilda (her previous best friend) was not her friend anymore. We thought Lara didn't want to play with her because Matilda played with someone else until I talked to Matilda's Mum. Apparently, Matilda thought she could only have one friend and she is obsessed with Sean so when Sean is there Matilda doesn't want to play with Lara. They told me Lara was quiet when Sean was around. Kids are funny aren't they?

I didn't realise Lara would experience this kind of friendship situation so early in life! All we can do as parents, is continue to encourage Lara to have many friends. Undoubtedly, there will be more complex friendship dilemmas later in life. The friendship lessons are ones we learn all our lives!

Mulberry bush

Our mulberry bush at the back of the garden is full of fruit at the moment. Simon had to tie and erect the lower branches because we caught Zebadee pulling at the branches and eating all the mulberries!

I want to try mulberry jam if I have enough berries(need 500g) unfortunately, the fruit don't turn black at the same time. Lara and I eat them while we pick so by the time we finish there is really not a lot left!

Family

Lara's drawing "family" at Grandma and Granddad's house. What a lovely picture!

Mastitis Friday

Last Friday didn't start well. I woke up with a sore right breast and felt very tired. Having had a very busy week and tried to clear a stubborn breast lump that kept coming back, I didn't think too much of it and went about my day absent-mindedly. After Lara's swimming class, Mother-in-law and I went grocery shopping with the kids. We stopped for a coffee first. During coffee, Lara cried and complained about stomach-ache but wouldn't go to the toilet. She wanted to have her nappy on but I didn't have any with me. I spent a long time with her in the toilet, at the end Lara got quite distressed and still wouldn't poo and Sam woke up crying and needing a feed, so we decided to go home. There we were back at home at noon without food.

I felt cold and shivery after we got home and the breast was sorer than earlier. Trying not to think of the worst, I took my temperature regularly and checked to see if any red patches appeared. I detected a temperature and it rose quickly before 2pm. Luckily I managed to see a doctor at 5pm. I had to wait for an hour for the appointment but I knew I had to get antibiotics in quickly. Doctor confirmed my worst fear (mastitis) even though I had no lumps in the sore breast at that time and no red patches. But I knew that excruciating pain when Sam latched on as I experienced it before. I started antibiotics straight away, even though still having a slight temperature the next day, felt much better.

I kept going back over the events prior to Friday to try to determine the reason I got mastitis this time. Was it the needle and nail file I used on my nipple to try to break the skin(that grew over the milk duct) that caused the lump? A busy week definitely worsened the situation. I felt emotional and sad and didn't know how long I could continue to feed. I felt helpless too and don't know what I should do to not have mastitis. I've been tying so hard to clear various lumps present during the past two months, there must be over 20 of them! I thought no lumps meant no mastitis but at the end I still got it. History is repeating itself and I don't know how to stop it.

After a weekend of thinking and reflecting, I realised when I put things into perspective, I stop feeling sad. Sam is happy and healthy, he will thrive whether he is on breast milk or not. I have done the best I can for him so I should be happy whatever happens next.

Just when you think everything is goind well, a bad day like this can happen and throws you out of balance. These bad days are parts and parcels of being a parent I guess. I'm just glad that the bad days are outnumbered by the good!