HARD WEEK

I remember the Wednesday of the last week - our Comparative Slavic Linguistics seminar was dismissed earlier and instead of going to the library to read some assigned literature (as was suggested by the professor), I went shopping and bought light-orange jeans that need alteration. Gosh, what a week it was - after that. Dim's parents came Wed night, Lev was sick till Saturday, I went to the doctor on Thursday and started taking antibiotics myself.
On Thursday, Lev, his grandparents and I went to the park. It was the first time I envied the parents of other children: everybody was happily playing, smiling, running around. It was sunny and warm, and the trains were doing their 'choo-choo'. Only Lev was cranky and miserable, making his relatives miserable, too.
Thursday night was a nightmare - Lev was crying all the time and I ended up running along the street in the coat over my pajamas holding him in my arms, in the hope that the cool air will alleviate his pain. It did not help, and I just left him in his crib to cry himself to sleep. I was frustrated. The pain killers obviously did not work. I called the doctor that night, and they just told me to wait till the morning.
Friday morning they called from the office and prescribed some eardrops. I was not home Friday, I was happy to get away, to drive a car, to ride BART, to talk to people. I even did not call home. I thought I'd just stay there, in the library, go to my seminar, and just be on my own for a while. Saturday was somewhat better.
- posted by ET @ 2:51 PM

 
HAWAII

It's amazing: in the middle of the winter when everybody's bundled in leather and wool, you suddenly pack your summer clothes and fly off! To Hawaii! Unbelievable. I dreamed of going there for years, and here it is: Dimka goes to some scientific conference, and takes me with him!
All three of us went, actually.
It's really warm there: they are wearing shorts and swim in the ocean! Unbelievable! And it's so strange to get back: you feel this right away, when you get off the plane: it's cold here, in CA, well... in comparison with Hawaii... And even the thought of my parents back in snow-covered Moscow doesn't help.

Lev and I got sick right after we came back. Climate change, works like a shock, especially when you get from warmth to cold.

- posted by ET @ 1:03 PM

 
I GOT A NEW LIFE

I got a new life. I am back to my PhD program in Berkeley. Never thought I was coming back. But here I am! And enjoying it. Well, most of it. It gives me a break from my little one. Besides taking classes, I work 18 hrs a week in the library. Gosh, it's a lot! I can't stay on my butt so long! When I come home I feel like jumping.

Lev's in daycare three days a week. Well, he's supposed to be. Now he's got this nasty ear infection that makes him whine all day long. Even when he's asleep he's still whining, and breathing hard. He stops only when he goes for a walk. Then he's distracted by all the things around him and obviously forgets about his condition. We give him antibiotics. Today's the 2nd day of the treatment. But he still has a fever.

He cried out today, at 5 am. All hot and burning. Gave him motrine. Gave him water. He was somewhat reluctant to go back to bed, but there is no other option at 5 in the morning. I went back to bed, too. But then he started whining again. Gave him more water, left his cup in the crib.
Today, I feel like a wreck myself. Probably I have the same ear infection as he has. I made a doctor's appointment for tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get some antibiotics, too.


- posted by ET @ 12:03 PM