Chickenpox experience

Vaccination for chickenpox is available but why not ask kids to have it? If suffering helps kids to grow up, there is no need to look for it for the sake of it if there is a way to avoid it, because suffering is an easy prey during one's life. 

The virus stayed for hibernation for two weeks since my daughter caught it up in the nursery.
On the Sunday (Day 1), her appetite was poor and we felt strange but we did not connect it to chickenpox at all.

On the day after (Day 2), when I went to pick her up in the nursery at the evening, the staff told me that she got some red spots on her chest and neck and they suspected that it was chickenpox because there were two chickenpox cases in the nursery two weeks ago. On the evening, more red spots were coming out, on the chest, arms, and face. We were not surprised as we had been warned that these spots could come out so quickly that they could be seen to appear and grow at the moment while being watched. During the night, she started feeling itchy and woke up several times. She started to have light fever at around 37.5.

Day 3 (Tuesday): She woke up with many red spots and complained feeling itchy all over. Calamine Cream and Piriton was applied to reduce the itchiness. Her fever carried on, to over 38.

Night 3: During the night, we had to stay at the side of her bed overnight to apply cream continually and prevent her from scratching.

Day 4(Wednesday): More red spots were coming out, all over her body. It was beyond words to describe it. One biggest one was right on the tip of her nose which did worry us a lot and a lot by just seeing it. More calamine, more Piriton. Here is the peak time.

Night 4: Another sleepless night.

Day 5(Thursday): More red spots, but the situation was stabilizing. Poor kid was eating little, but she could play for some time. When we got out to buy more cream, we had to stop in midway to apply more cream on her. Mostly we stayed at home and tried to avoid more sun exposure. In order to avoid infection, we were suggested to use Dead sea bath salt in the bath water. We gave her bath in luckwarm water(not too warm) twice in a day. 

Night 5: Another sleepless night.

Day 6(Friday): No more increase in the number of red spots. We got more new toys to occupy her and distract her. During these days, her body temperature was up and down, from time to time, up to over 38 below 39, down to 37. On the Friday evening, we went to the Emergency in the hospital since her temperature went back up to over 38.5. The doctor gave her a dose of calpol and a dose of ibuprofen together and brought the temperature down within one hour. The doctor said her situation was normal and if the calpol could bring the temperature down, there would not be big worries. If there is infection, the temperature would stay high.

Night 6: Her itchiness was controlled with a dose of Piriton. So we started having our calm night.

Day 6(Saturday): She still felt itchy occasionally, but not to the extent of rolling on the carpet. She could eat something. We kept her very hydrated and gave her some watermelon and orange juice and a lot of apple compot. We played with her indoors.

Day7, 8, 9(Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday): She stayed at home for a recovery. Cream was still needed but not for Piriton.

Day 10(Thursday): She was allowed to go back to the nursery. Her red spots were not gone yet.

Now it has been more than a month. Red spots are still visible. That biggest one on the tip of her nose is still there, recovering very slowly.

"Yes perhaps their greatest vulnerability in a capitalist world is that they need little that is not generated on the farm; no one is making money by selling diesel, agrichemicals or big tractors so no one has an interest in developing or protecting the vital skill base (of farming in natural ways)."
From Guy Watson, the fouder of Riverford Organic Farms, when he argues why he is opposed to GM.

Cream hunter

It is the time to get rid of nappies, but the transition stage was not that smooth. Baby's tender bottom is so used to the moisture offered by wet nappies, that, when nappies are gone, the consequently sudden dryness irritates that area of skin. All kinds of cream were brought in to cure that little tender bottom. 

Kid's world

Contrast of Views

For our 2015 Spring Festival Holiday in Zhengzhou, Beijing, Shanghai

Englishness

Excerpt from "The English and Their History", by Robert Tombs.

Holiday Resort for Young Family with Under Three Years Old Babies

We are looking for a balance, some good play time for the baby, some good viewing time for parents, something quite, something dynamic, something urban, something in the nature, something tiring and challenging, something soothing and relaxing. Isle of Wight suffices all, with every small bit but in style!

We went to Ryde first and fine sand and the distance from the sea makes the beach there as a perfect place for babies to play. We stayed in Ryde Castle hotel which is very family friendly and has a superb location, within five minutes' walk to the beach. There are several playgrounds at the side of the walk around the beach. When kids are bored with building sand castles, these playgrounds are alternatives. When it is baby's nap time, quickly, parents can retreat into the quite woods where parents can enjoy birds singing and baby can have a sound nap without being disturbed by car horns and dogs barking.

After we visited Osborne house, then we went to Shanklin. Shanklin chine is so adorable! Could you imagine carrying a baby to climb cliffs? It does not sound that feasible, but in the chine, special geology shape makes such attempt nothing but possible and the combination of cliff, waterfall, hills, creeks, and sea, all within reachable zones, does make me feel, at one moment, that I am in Shangri la! Our choice of hotel "Luccombe Hall Country House Hotel" is not disappointing. It was the residential place of the local Bishop which might explain that the interior is not new, but it has a lovely garden and sea view. Its indoor pool and outdoor playground did keep my baby busy.     
   
On the fourth day, we managed to find time to go to Ventnor and walked around the rocky beach. It was windy on that day which made the view more special, imagining strong and torrent waves hitting on those hard rocks again and again, wave splashes bounced in all directions to make us feeling wet. The walk to steephill cove is so pleasant and exciting; we enjoyed challenges of pushing a heavy pram and trying to pass around rocks, pebble beach, and to climb hundreds of stairs up the hill; At the same time, the baby enjoyed all the wildness and freshness and slept without any tiny complaints. When we were just about to feel exhausted, we had arrived in Ventnor Botanical Garden and enjoyed a nice cup of tea and cake there, before we took a ferry back home!

Shanklin Chine:

 Ryde Beach:

Shanklin Beach:

Ventnor Beach: