This past Saturday, in a continuation of our "outing" mode, Kyle and I took the kids to The Good Earth's Fall Celebration. I love The Good Earth. Its huge, rambling property could easily entertain me (minus any additional festivities) for hours on end. There are just so many shrubs and plants and fun things to look at and think about. If you wander around behind the main building into the Groundcover, Ornamental Grasses and Hydrangeas, you will find yourself feeling as small as a gnome among the towering pines which gently sway above you.  If you wander far enough in that area, you'll find yourself on a path into an ancient graveyard! Gravestones dating back into the 1800s appear randomly, as though staged. But they're not. It is most unusual and unexpected when you're just looking at plants...

This particular Saturday, the place was absolutely packed, and the canine guests outnumbered the human guests 2:1. The reason for this was a dog costume competition. I felt almost embarrassed to be a human among so many well outfitted dogs. But the sampling of gourmet snacks and my passion for their mulled cider pretty much overcame any other emotion I might have felt.

There were hayrides, hot dogs, lemonade, story time, face painting, free samplings of various things and a playground that was extremely inviting. 

Kyle and Dorien snagged a free frisbie and attempted to have a quick game. However, Kyle realized his error when Dorien all but demolished the flats of pansies all around them.

And for the second day in a row and for hours at a time, I wore Wyeth in my wrap and attempted to nurse him when he was hungry. I thought I was doing good at that until later Saturday night when I woke up in the middle of the night with an awful case of mastitis.  A sure sign I had been pushing my body too hard and not nursing Wyeth effectively enough the last few days. 

This was my first full blown case of mastitis. I'd had plugged ducts before, but never the sudden onset of fever, chills, body ache and utter misery that is mastitis. I tried drinking garlic tea, taking lecithin (an emulsifier which helps prevent milk from clumping up and prevents clogged ducts), taking ibuprofen, hot showers, nursing, pumping, sleeping...my fever stayed sky high. I ended up having to get on antibiotics.  My fever got as high as 103 one night, which was a little alarming! But by Thursday, things felt much much better and I am once again a functioning momma! Wyeth and I are both taking probiotics (Wyeth is getting drops of BioGaia, in case you're wondering what a good probiotic for an infant is....I'm drinking lots of Kefir).

It has been a crazy week, complete with an anniversary we weren't able to celebrate on Monday, late nights at work for Kyle, a very dirty house that I just can't find time to clean and a whole other host of life's little joyful surprises....but I am optimistic. Kyle and I have a date planned for tonight and I am looking forward to a slower-paced weekend and time with my family. And the weather is super chilly. What's to complain about, really?