A Bird in the Hand: Enough of Belgian Germs, Already

All of our furniture and other belongings safely arrived on Friday, and we worked like madmen all weekend trying to clear boxes and get things unpacked (as the movers were returning on Monday to take away empty boxes and to do any last assemblies of furniture). We did an amazing job of getting it all done, but we're still amazed (horrified?) at how much STUFF we have. And how much of it we probably won't use while we're here. The kids, especially, have more toys than we know what to do with and are starting to put the toys in rotation, so there is always something "new."

I've learned that about half of my baking sheets and roasting pans will not fit into my oven. The one cookie sheet that does fit, only does so if I slide it in on the tracks for the oven rack. I've got several boxes already of "things that don't work in Belgium" (any rack that goes over a door is another thing -- the doors are too thick).

Our Latest Illness(es)
Jack woke up from his nap on Saturday, and Amelia went in to go entertain him for a minute. Next thing I know, Amelia is running in to see me, to tell me that Jack has thrown up. Sure enough, he has. None the worse for the wear, though, he proceeds to play and run and create general havoc for the rest of the day. And then throws up twice more. But he has no other symptoms and sleeps through the night, and all is forgotten by the next morning.

On Monday, we went to the commune to get our Belgian identification cards and our Belgian driver's licenses. I start feeling not so hot, and by the time we get home, I put TJ in charge of the kids and the movers and go to bed. Fever, chills and nausea put me out of commission for the rest of the day. Luckily, as was the case with Jack, by Tuesday morning I felt much better (though a little weak from having not eaten all day Monday). Were we in the clear? Of course not! The amazing vomiting Amelia had not had her turn in the (porcelain) spotlight yet.

True to form, just last night (Tuesday night), she woke up around 9:30 pm crying and fussing. TJ (the undisputed favored parent when it comes time for the kids to decide whom to throw up on) went upstairs to calm her. Moments later, I heard the dreaded "Honey.....!" I get upstairs to find chocolate milk everywhere in her bed (thank goodness for hardwood floors!). I strip the bed, while TJ changes her (and his) clothes. She falls right back asleep, only to wake a few hours later to repeat the process twice more. Hoping to nip this in the bud, I give her some of the Motillium that the Belgian doctor had prescribed her when we had an earlier round of the bug. And it worked like a charm. She woke up this morning ready to eat cheetos (though she said she didn't want any chocolate milk today).

Now, will TJ be the next to fall? He usually seems to avoid the stomach bugs, and I'm hopeful he does this time, too.

On a postive note, every time Amelia got the stomach flu in the U.S., we ended up getting IV fluids. This Motillium must have some magic qualities. I shall definitely stock up on it before returning back home.

I know everyone is wondering what, exactly, we're doing to invite all these germs. I really don't know! The kids have been in the nursery a few times (always a germ festival) and we've only been out in crowds around the markets. I don't know if it's different strains of bugs that we weren't exposed to at home, or if it's just "that time of year." In any case, I hope we're developing some resistance to this nonsense.

I'm sick of being sick and have had enough. Plus, it takes too much time to do the laundry after each of these episodes.

Kindness of Neighbors
We've had two of our neighbors come by this week with beautiful flowers to welcome us to the neighborhood. Everyone has been extremely kind and has offered to watch the house and the kids and to do whatever we need help with. It's been very reassuring, as we had been told that the Belgians weren't very outgoing with foreigners, but so far, we've found the opposite to be true.

To Sum Up...
So as of Wednesday afternoon, all is well here. We're over our latest round of illnesses (unless TJ comes home early), we're settling in, and TJ was able to watch the Super Bowl the morning after the event.

I successfully made dinner last night following the detailed pictures on the back of a box of pasta mix (those Europeans, they do draw nice pictures for those of us who can't read French/Dutch) -- so I feel like things are coming together there. I need to branch out from my mainstays of chicken, but that will come, I'm sure.

Hope all is well at home. We miss you all and hope to see you soon!