Sunday, September 13, 2009

chicken pox weekend

It started out with few spots on his face. We ofcourse thought they were bug bites. We put some cortisone and that was the end of that. Next morning, Ethan woke up covered in spots and I was so distressed that we might have some kind of bugs or something! The idea of chicken pox didn't even cross my mind at first b/c being good American parents we are, both our kids are immunized against it. Well, it turns out that American kids are the only kids on this planet who are vaccinated against it and Europe is filled with children who have chicken pox. Also, there's 22% chance that immunization won't protect your children. Ethan fell in the 22% and Makayla in the 78%.

So my poor baby had to spend the whole weekend at home - and ofcourse, he had to pick a weekend full of fun for him to be homebound. . . . What a weekend for Makayla - full attention from mommy and friends without anyone to steal her thunder. It started with her usual swimming lessons on Sat morning, then walk in the park to discover there's a circus in town. Bought tickets to the circus, off to her tennis lesson and to the circus with mommy and some friends. (this Polish circus lasted 2 1/2 hours and it cost us $15 for the both of us - can't beat that!) Then Sunday was a big joint birthday party for her and her friend Cora at the pool. Boy, whoever thought that having 15 kids in a public pool was a good idea for a party (me and my friend Elysa, obviously) wasn't listening to the inner voice whispering "crazy... you're crazy..." Anyhow, despite the initial chaos, it was a great party overall - Makayla told me that she wants to do that again for next year! After the party, we stopped by our friend's house who was hosting a church picnic and joined in all the fun there. All this for Makayla and mommy while Ethan was sitting at home with daddy, watching endless episodes of Scooby-Doo. Ethan was good sport and didn't complain once, he just wanted a piece of cake and some cookies. . . .


look - a circus!

inside the tent - small but they had everything you think of in a circus - clowns, acrobats, dishspinning, elephants, horses, dogs, and camels?

makayla enjoying her HUGE cotton candy (which was basically shared by 4 other kids - it was that big. . . .)

makayla and her mermaid cake - hair color to match the birthday girls - love it!

. . . . and there's my poor baby. . . .

Friday, September 4, 2009

unbelievable. . .

really? i haven't blogged for exactly 6 months? unbelievable. well, here i am, trying to get back on the wagon. i guess after 2 years in Krakow, our family has fully adjusted to the change here and life continues - so my blog about adventures in Krakow will now be about our non-adventures in Krakow. i'll be posting mostly pictures and stories about the kids since it seems to be only family members who drops in once in a while to see updated pictures of the kids. those family members, namely my mom, has not caught up with facebook, obviously.

anyhow, since the last post, we have traveled around the world. korea-china-amsterdam-paris-prague-ireland. phew. kids did super well in all our travels and they especially enjoyed their asia trip. we have to plan another one soon!

makayla is now 6 - entered 1st grade and ethan is 4!!! their exchanges have been endlessly entertaining. here are some sample dialogues.

Mak embracing the mickey spirit


Mak: You know, what the most important part of the body is?
Mom: What?
Mak: It's the brain.
E: Yeah, because it stinks.
Mak: No! Because it THinks - TH, TH, Thinks.
E: Yeah, because it stinks.
Mak: . . . . .

ethan was a bit camera shy during our disney trip for some reason


Mom: What do you want to be when you grow up?
E: Ummmm... a monkey!
Mom: o...k....
E: And a doctor.
Mom: I think you can be a doctor but not a monkey.
E: Why? Makayla is going to be a teacher.
Mom: Well, you're a person.
E: Monkey is an animal.
Mom: Yeah, so it's hard for a person to be an animal. (it's hard? should I have said impossible?)
E: Ok. Then i want to be a dragon.
Mom: A dragon?
E: Yeah, but i don't want fire in my mouth. . . then i'll eat a monkey!!! kkkkkkk. That's silly! We don't eat monkeys. . . . . only fish, right mommy?
Mom: I guess so.

makayla loved posing with disney characters


Mak: (after looking at the messy playroom): Ethan, do you want to help the earth and live, then pick up the toys.
E: I want to live.
Mak: then pick up the toys.
E: (as he picks up some toys off the floor) Am I living now?
Mak: If you pick up the toys, you will live.

shuttle ride to disney!

making wontons with grandpa in holland