Saturday, March 29, 2008

Family vacation.









We have had one of the most amazing family vacations EVER! Without too much planning, we decided to take off and go south to get some so needed vitamin D. We drove to Florida Keys and were camping on Fiesta Key!
There is so much to write about our trip! I don't know where to start! But I think some of the numerous picture that we've taken will help with with telling it all with our too much words.
Sunsets by the water are just nature's wonders! Every day there was a masterpiece on the sky!

Sleeping in the tent was everybody's favorite! After running around for the whole day there was no need for a bedtime story, they were out in a flash.










We were able to create such a wonderful program for everybody to enjoy our family time together to the fullest. We went to the Theater Of The Sea and saw a Dolphin Show and a Sea Lion Show, which were great, beside other wonderful exhibits there!

We took a day trip and drove all the way to Key West. The first stop was at the Key Lime Pie factory. Yam! Then we headed to the Butterfly Conservatory, and then visited Ernest Hemingway's residency. A perfect day ended by spending the rest of the sunny time at the beach, the southernmost point in the continental USA and enjoying a beautiful sunset.

We went to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and took a glass bottom boat to the reefs. Beautiful clear blue water and great visibility were spectacular.

Mirek went deep sea fishing on a boat at night, and we had a yummy fish lunch the next day.

Days at the Atlantic beach were very relaxing and lots of fun for the girls. Ivana enjoyed playing with the waves, and Leona was picking the shells to make necklaces when we'd come back home.

Taking walks in the mangrove forest and observing the wildlife was a lot of fun for the kids. Milana was so alert about what was happening around her and enjoyed herself tremendously.

Second part of the trip we devoted to the Everglades National Park and on the way to the other camp ground on the Gulf Coast took an air boat ride and visited Micosukee Indian reservation. Going so far away and having such an eventful time wasn't so very overwhelming for us since we are a great team. Who said you can't take a 1 year old camping?

We came home relaxed, tanned, happy, full of great memories and things learned not ready for a snowy day in the Poconos.

Shall we move down to the Keys? We have fallen in love...

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Music Class.



It has been such a wonderful year for us at the coop. Initially I was reluctant to sign Leona up for classes, since she is only three and paying two tuitions was not on the budget. But the coop coordinator had persuaded me and I decided to give it a try, anyway, I could just let her be in the nursery if she was not enjoying herself in the classes.

But she HAS! And loving every minute of it! She has a math class in the morning where they use Montessori kind of manipulatives. Then she has a story time class. We read at home at lot, but anyway, I guess it is good for her to listen the stories from someone else as well. And the teacher was telling me that she is the most attentive student in the class. No wonder!

The highlight is the music class, where the kids get to dance around, play with the musical instruments and sing along. I have observed the class, and it is pure fun time!

After lunch she gets to go to the phonics class, where they get to learn a letter and do a related craft activity. Again, we do all of it at home, and the teacher was telling me to consider advancing her to K class for next year, since she knows all of that. But she likes it and seems not to be bored in the class. The craft activity is her favorite.

And then, after the gym, they get to have a play dough class! Now, that's a real treat! They get to make all crazy fun things out of play dough. When I peeked through the window to see what the kids were doing, they were so cute making different animals, pretend playing and giggling together.

A am glad that I have made a right decision in September as I see how much she likes to be "a big girl, who goes to school" now.

Today I was asking her what's her absolutely favorite class. Not even thinking a bit, she replied that is was LUNCH. "Why?", I asked her.
"Because I like to eat very much, I get really hungry", said my daughter.

Here is the "proof" of my blabbing how much she loves it! HEHEHEHE....

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Bath time.

I just wanted to share this picture with you!
Isn't she funny?

Saga of the sick, Part 2.

We are never prepared to be sick in our house. With trying to lead a healthy life style, I always hope that we'll be getting sick on very rare occasions. That means that we don't have medications stocked up and and that was the time when I wished they had.

Mirek came down with a flu so rapidly, that at first I didn't believe him. I though he was simply pulling my leg, which he is so capable of doing. But then looking into his puppy eyes, it was unmistakable, he was not joking around. So, the thicker clouds had gathered above MY head. It meant I was alone on a battle field, no fun.

It was already evening... and you know when kids are sick you dread the nights the most! Mirek was good for nothing, since he was laying on the sofa and moaning. He said moaning was helping him a bit. He had a splitting headache, join pains and a rising fever. Well, it is a known fact that husbands are so much worse than babies when come to being sick.

He was in so much pain and he needed to take some kind of medication for pain. I ran to my ugly (yes, it's an ugly plastic container that I hide away and rarely take out) medication supply box in search of something for him. And guess what... nothing. I didn't have anything! I asked him if he'd have Advil or Tylenol in his car. Nope, negative. I searched in our both First Aid Kits (why don't they put Tylenol or something there?). Nope, negative. It was too late to drive to the closest CVS, as it closes at 9pm, and it was way past that. And the other closest was who knows where. In the times like that I really miss leaving in the city! Mountains suck!

Anyway, I started thinking, thinking. The only thing we had was the medication Mirek's Mom brought over and left after her visit something like 4 years ago. It was a Czech medication, so Mirek knew it and it was a bigger dose of the ibuprofen. I wasn't sure, but decided that that was the last resort. He was getting worse by the minute, and was not even able to sleep. He had become delirious and was moaning continuously. Later he told me that he was afraid to close his eyes because he was seeing nightmares. One he remembered clearly, being in a warehouse and all the cardboard boxes were falling on him and burring him alive.

So, I offered him to take the pills that had expired 4 years ago. Now, why did I still have them? Because we rarely use any and I just didn't care to check the box! Well, he said that probably nothing would make him feel any worse and that he would take them. Tada! I mean, I knew that the expiration date is only a factor to tell you that the medication would be less potent, that's all, but it is not "spoiled". But expired for 4 years! I was not sure about that. We had no choice! The next morning we were laughing and were glad that expired medication let Mirek feel a bit better to be able to fall asleep at least that night.

In the morning the first thing was to drive to the CVS and get some fresh medications.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Saga of the sick.

I personally don't like to read about other people being sick. I sympathize with them, but I always seem to start looking for the symptoms and that drives me nuts! But ... my hands are itchy and I need to vent... So, here we go.

Saga of the Sick, Part 1.

It all started on Saturday. First the baby had come down with a fever. No big deal, I thought! Her immune system, not being compromised by all that immunization, would get rid of the bug right away and she'd bounce right back. For two days in a row, her fever was pretty high, and all she wanted to do was to be held. No problem, who would not want to hold a baby, especially when she is co cute? But I had to hold her, all the time, all day long! That means no bathroom or lunch breaks, or even a little stretching exercise to let the circulation going.

Saturday I was fine, I held her, looked into her sunny face, kissed her chubby feverish cheeks when she was sleeping in my arms, even though my arms were numb, and my stomach grumbling. But since two older sisters were fine, I would use them to be my little "bus girls", with "bring me this" and "bring me that" kind of stuff.

Next day , which was a Sunday, Mirek took the big girls to a birthday party, and I stayed at home with the still sick baby. It was a bit tougher not to have my little angels to help me out, so I surrounded myself with snacks, drinks, got comfortable in a chair holding Milana and took charge of the guys' thing called "the remote control". And the TV marathon had started!

I got stuck on the Discovery Health Channel, and watched almost all episodes of "Mystery Diagnosis" of which I had not been aware before. The things I learned! Who knew that Tetanus is actually a very rare disease! Then I had a question, why do they vaccinate the babies that don't even walk against that illness! Apparently, way before, when the people lived with cattle and walked bare feet or were wearing very flimsy shoes, Tetanus was pretty common. As the people were exposed to animal feces, had wounds on their feet and there were no proper antiseptics to clean the affected area. Nowadays, animals live in the barns, we have thick soles on our shoes, and the antiseptics are widely available. So, even if you step on a rusty nail, with proper cleaning the wound area, your chances of getting Tetanus are slim to none.
Anyway, it was a little "extra", now back to my saga...

Sitting non stop in that chair with the baby, made things a bit more challenging for me. My soft spot was getting flatter than flat, and numb, and I was in a desperate need of some fresh air and sun!Plus, I felt like I had just graduated from medical school and had completed my residency program, so my brain needed to digest the overwhelming stream of medical information!

It was only on Monday, that I was able to get out! But... by then Leona had gotten sick and was running a high fever as well. The need for me to go for a little walk in the nature had become a critical emergency, since I knew that she'd be sick for some time, plus, who knows who would be next! I took Ivana for a little walk in the neighborhood. We were gone for a little over an hour, and before going home I stopped in the driveway to catch some sun rays on my face, enjoying the warmth and the brightness... Trying to recuperate for the last two days spent in a sitting position, getting mentally ready to do more of the sitting, but trying to chase those thoughts away and truly enjoy the moment. The Moment did not last for too long... Weee, screeched the front door, "So, are you coming, oh what?", was my dear husband's greeting. "No, I don't want to... but I am coming", was my reply.

Tuesday brought even more challenges, as now it was Mirek's turn to get the bug. As if it wasn't enough for us to deal with, sleepless nights and all...