Update on Ella's Pox

Ella is doing well, despite how she looks. While in the bath, she's a bad connect-the-dots puzzle. Out of the bath, she's coated neck to legs in tukety pudr lotion (local version of calamine lotion).
Her spots are mostly on her torso with just a few on her scalp and face. Thankfully, none in the mouth or throat, like some other stories we've heard.

So overall, she takes it in good stride for most of the day. We think it's partly because she's still so young, as older kids usually have it rougher with chicken pox. Only occasionally she has a meltdown for little apparent reason other than being overtired from fitful sleep.

Bedtime is when things turn bad. Without any distractions or playing, Ella has only the itchiness on her mind. The last couple nights it takes Maylia sitting up in bed, with Ella in her lap to sooth Ella to sleep. Through the night, Ella get fitful and wakes a few times needing mom or dad to calm her down again. For the last several days, Mattias has slept in our bedroom to minimize waking him any more than his teething does already.

Just talked with Maylia - today sounds like a good day. "Ella mood suggests she is on the mend."

-Jeff

p.s. By the way, Happy Halloween!!

Goings-On: Pox, Parade and Teeth

Since Ella got quite spooked at a Halloween party last year, we have spent the last few weeks getting Ella so ready and excited for this year's, not 1, but 2 Halloween parties. We've practiced saying "trick or treat," talked how everyone gets to wear funny costumes, and of course decided (a few times) what Ella's costume will be.

Then this morning's visit to Ella's pediatrician confirmed our fears: chicken pox.
Big, big bummer.

We counted around 30 spots on her back and belly before yesterday's bath, more than twice from the day before. Tonight, for each one she had yesterday, she's got at least 3 more, spread all over. Puts a lump in the throat just looking at her.
She's not a happy camper (massive understatement!!!), especially when trying to sleep.
Mattias will soon follow; we're rather looking forward to getting it out of the way.

For Halloween this Friday, we now plan to prop up a few dummy ghosts and goblins behind our bedroom/bathroom doors and closets. We'll all dress up and walk through, collecting treats from our one-night spooky flat mates. May sound pathetic at first (and it is), compared to our original plans, but hopefully we'll make a memorable Halloween out of it.

Teeth
A little bite of news. At 10 months, Mattias is finally getting some teeth -and wasting no time with it. He got his first one Saturday. His second one came yesterday. And a third popped out today. The fourth one is all but broken out. All this and Ella's pox explains some fitful nights sleeps lately, for all.

Parade
Czech Republic celebrated when Czechoslovakia was first founded (28 October 1918). Not the normal public holiday this year, being the 90th anniversary. In fact, Czech government decided on having a full military parade - the first since before the revolution, the first since 1985. The parade went down Evropska street, the wide, main street connecting Prague to the airport.
Soldiers of all sorts, tanks, rockets, police and fire brigades - it was quite a show. Grippen fighters flew overhead, but the cloud cover made them only heard, not seen.
Speaking of cloud cover, it was raining if not pouring the whole time. The stroller's fantastic cover kept the kids dry, until Ella spent 15 minutes on dad's shoulders to watch the procession.
But between the rain and Ella not being her best (and looking back, we now know why), we managed only the procession and decided against a "yester-year" expo of sorts in the downtown squares. More info at this link here.




Cadets (aren't they cute?) - in front of a big Tatra truck!

These banners were everywhere, showing how often Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic "evolved" over just 90 years.
1918 - Czechoslovakia started
1938 - Czechoslovakia lost 1/3 of itself as appeasement to Hitler
1948 - Czechoslovakia Socialist Republic, as satellite state to Soviet Union
1968 - Czechoslovakia getting too liberal, so Soviet Army invades
2008 - today, quite a different place.

1989 - the year of the velvet revolution is conspicuously missing. Maybe it didn't make the cut since the year doesn't end with an "8"?

'Tis the Season...
for mailing packages

With the holiday season pretty much upon us, there are some back home who are generously planning to mail us packages. For those of you who do not know, since our move to our new flat, we have had many packages go missing. In fact, a very sad part of being home was talking to folks and hearing over and over again, "You didn't get the package we mailed, did you?" This is a shame. It means that you spent time and money getting us a gift, time and money mailing that gift, and then we never received the gift. Ugh!

So, what's happening?!? Well, more than likely these packages are being stolen at the post office. It is also possible some are being lost. We don't have much faith in our new post office. We had heard horror stories of packages stolen, but never had a problem with our former post office. Unfortunately, the post office in our new neighbourhood seems to be less organized and less honest.

What can we do? Of course, we'd tell you to just not send anything...as it may not be worth the risk...but we know that some of you just won't listen! So, here are some ideas to help packages make it to us safely.

1. If possible, send it in a padded envelope. The "post lady" is more likely to deliver these to us or try to squash it in our mailbox, rather than leave it sitting at the post office for us to pick up (or for it to be stolen). She has to carry the package around with her and then if we're not here, carry it back to the post office. She's more likely to do that with an envelope than with a bulky box.

2. When filling out customs forms, be creative. Don't lie, but don't make the package sound enticing, either. Children's clothing and toys, for instance, are very expensive and sought after here. We once had a baby blanket stolen out of my stroller that was locked up inside our apartment building! Instead of "children's clothing", you could write "fabric".

3. Insure your packages. So at least you can get money back if they don't make it to us.

4. Tell us when you mail something. I am going to do my best to make friends with the "post lady" so that she knows that I know something is on its way. I don't think she is the culprit but from what my friends say, with her on our side she will keep a look out for our packages and help them get delivered to us. (Also see number 1.)

5. Order gifts and have them mailed to us. So far we haven't had any of these go missing...at least not that we know of...

6. Don't be afraid to ask. I know it's weird to ask about a gift you sent. No one wants to feel like they are looking for a "thank you". But, in this case, it is OK. PLEASE, if you haven't heard from us, don't hesitate to ask us if we received your package. We are pretty good about sending out "thank yous", so if you don't hear anything, just ask!

7. Cross you fingers and hope for the best. That's what we're doing.

Thank you!
Maylia

Erin - We Miss You!

Jeff K, This Is For You
Figuratively speaking only...sorry.


Of course, there was no prying that one from Ella's hands, so we had to get a few extras. :)