Garden makeover (2) - prepare for retaining wall

8 tonnes of blue metal dust were delivered in 3 batches and layed in the back garden in the last few weeks. The rain meant little progress on some weekends. More blue metal and blue metal dust are ordered. Retaining wall blocks were delivered this week. These blocks will sit on the leveled blue metal ground after trenches are digged and pipes layed for irrigation. Work is behind schedule this weekend as we lost a worker temporarily due to hang-over.

Swimming at Grandma's pool

Lara and I enjoyed a nice relaxing swim & play at Grandma and Granddad's last week, our second one this spring. Grandma and Sam watched us from the side of the pool. I have not signed Lara up for any swimming lessons, and probably won't be next year. We plan to go to the beach whenever we can in summer and by going to Grandma's pool often, Lara's swimming hopefully will improve. I'd like to have less organised activities and let Lara have more free play.

Off the breasts

It has been a month and a half now since I last had mastitis. I know I said I would stop breastfeeding but because I didn't have any problem after I finished the two courses of antibiotics, I was not seriously pursuing this 'weanin'g business... (only topup with formula from time to time) until NOW. I spent half of Friday trying to clear a lump on the right breast, thought that was it and then spent all of Saturday trying to clear a hard lump on the left breast due to blockage. At one stage, 3/4 of the breast was rock hard. I tried needle and several showers but nothing seemed to work. Sam was crying and wouldn't suck. Lara was crying and didn't want to poo in the toilet. I was crying because the breast hurt. Simon made dinner and dared not mention the fact that I spoke about weaning weeks ago. The blockage was finally cleared (by forcing a crying Sam to suck) just after midnight (early this morning).

I do not know why I kept doing this to myself! I should have weaned quickly while the time was good. I replaced a whole feed with formula this afternoon and am now focusing on getting Sam off the breasts before any more painful episode re-occur. I re-read the breastfeeding story I wrote in May 2007, though I can't help feeling I failed 'breastfeeding' again, I know it is the right thing to do.

ps I moved 2 posts of breastfeeding stories from another site to remind myself to delay no further. Unfortunately I can not locate the pictures now.

pps No wonder I had mastitis three times with Lara. I know more about my breasts and how to handle blocked ducts/lumps this time compared with last time. Breast-feeding is still the hardest aspect of parenting for me with what I know.

Ballet rehearsal

We had the first ballet rehearsal this Saturday from 10:45am. Somehow I thought it was at 9.45 so we arrived one hour early! Because of that, I had a good car space, had time to feed Sam and bought the tickets without standing in a long queue. The day turned out better than expexcted.



It was a very warm day. Sam waited patiently for the rehearsal to finish with nothing on except his nappy. Lara was very tired afterwards that she had a good long sleep on the couch after lunch.
Two more rehearsals to go before the concert.

[3 months] Happy Sam

Weight: 6.3 kg

Sam is growing happily and beautifully. Like all other second child, he suffers from the fate of constantly being woken up for various reasons, mostly to do with Lara but he didn't seem to mind. Sam is used to not being picked up straight away. Sometimes he falls back to sleep but when he's insistent with his whining, we know he wants to get up. He's partidularly impatient when hungry (who isn't?), and will complain loudly if the breast is not shuffled into his mouth fast enough. His cry is mostly a 'demanding' reminder that we don't forget him.

Lara was never sick in her first year of life. But with Lara bringing germs from daycare, Sam was not so lucky. He had a cold when he was less than 2 months old. Poor thing when he coughed, he sounded like he couldn't breath, gasping for air. Doctor said it was normal. Hopefully this built up Sam's immune system.



I feed Sam around 4 times a day. Feeding is now shorter, about 1/2 an hour. I use formula supplement if required but have not had to do that last week. If I wake Sam up to have a 4th feed before I go to bed (if his last feed is before 6pm), he can sleep through the night. I probably only got up during the night to feed twice in the last three weeks.

Sam knows where his fists are and likes to suck on his fingers. He studies his hands and tries to grap objects. He loves to babble. His eyes follow Lara when she is around. Sam likes his new pram and is very interested in his surroundings. He seems to be able to hold his neck a little longer. Sam has been mistaken to be a girl, maybe because he sometimes uses his sister's pink blankets.



I try to have at least one quiet day a week at home with Sam and enjoy these days very much!

Three year old teenager

Lara loves to 'dress-up' at home.

Lara has an 'attitude' problem recently ...

When Lara wants me to do things for her, she often shouts from where she happens to be. I've been telling her to come to me and ask for help nicely. I was in the kitchen when Lara shouted 'help' from the tv room again. When I asked why she didn't come to me, she gave me all the execuses in the world on why she couldn't come - she can't walk, she can't get up, she's too tired and her blanket is stuck! This reminds me of the time when Lara was one and she threw herself on the floor to get attention. Ignoring her worked wonders then, but not so well this time. She worked herself up to a sob, made me angry and ended up standing in the corner for the second time that day.

Lara had a couple of outbursts at daycare too. The attention-seeking behaviours at home is particularly bad when I feed Sam. She is moody sometimes, sulks for the littlest things. Last week I was cross with her, she looked sad and said 'nobody likes me!'. It's hard to find out exactly what happens at daycare. When I asked Lara what she did in daycare and who she played with, she replied "I don't remember" in this off-handedly, shrug-shoulder-teenager kind of way. She doesn't listen when she is in this funny mood. I can repeat the same things again and again but get this blank look.

Lara is still lovely and happy most of the time. But sometimes it felt like we have a teenager in the house! We like the smily and funny three-year-old back please!