Hello Arizona!

We are moving to Phoenix, Arizona!

We figured that since Nick is a foreigner why not torture ourselves and move to the least foreign friendly state? Hello Arizona!

We’ve actually been planning this move for a while now, but honestly it is difficult for me to think about it because I am really sad about leaving Prague. I’ve lived in the Czech Republic for nearly 6 years now and although there have definitely been times when I wanted nothing more then to go back to America, this country has really become my home. Ever since we decided to move back to the states I’ve started making a laundry list of all the things I’m going to miss here, especially our family and friends! There is the amazing cheap beer, fantastic bread rolls that I live on and nice Maternity leave so I don’t have to work and so much more! I’ll miss the awkwardness of the Czech people and freedom to wear whatever I want without being judged (no more socks in sandals?). I actually felt nostalgic when the Ghost Buster’s theme song came on while I was at Billa. Good-bye tacky European radio, I think I might actually miss you! There are just so many things that I love about Prague and the people here, it is going to be really difficult to leave.

BUT living without an In ‘n Out burger near by has become too devastating also Nick was accepted to an excellent phD program at Arizona State University! So, we’ve decided to pack up the fam and become desert rats. If worse comes to worse and Nick does get deported back to the Czech Republic because he forgot his green card whilst on a midnight trip to the golden arches, then I’m pretty sure we will survive. I am currently in the process of looking for a home as well as a part-time job as I finish up my Master’s degree program here in Prague. In June I will have my thesis defense and state exam. Then at the end of July we will fly to California and then drive to Arizona.
Nick finished his Master’s program last month and will graduate summa cum laude! Currently, he is busy working a number of jobs and preparing for his studies next year. Isabella just had her first birthday! She is doing very well. She has a great sense of humor (I wonder where she gets it from?) and loves playing games with people, especially keep-a-way and peek-a-boo. She is looking forward to the nice weather in Arizona and being able to swim more (since she is secretly a fish stuck in the body of a small girl).

The first question all of our neighbors have been asking us when we tell them we are moving is, what about Mia?!? Mia, who is somewhat of a star in our neighborhood, will be coming with us. We are already praying to St.Francis that our nervous little dog survives the plane ride without too many anxiety attacks and is able to adapt to desert life. We’ve assured her that they have sticks and sausages in Phoenix as well.

So, that’s our big news and belated update! We hope this news finds you all well!

Izzy the Fish

Here's a short video of Izzy at her swim class with Nick taken at the end of their lesson.

Gilmore Girl

Sorry I haven't written for awhile. I've been really busy and in my 'free time' (which sort of doesn't exist anymore) I just laze around and watch TV. Isabella likes to be held and I have to hold her for a long time to get her to sleep before I can put her down. So, I've started watching the Gilmore Girls for the first time and have become mildly obsessed with it. I started with season 1 episode 1 and am already up to season 3 episode 2. I wish I had someone to talk to about the show, but everyone I know who watches it has seen all of them and I don't want anything spoiled. Anyhow, I feel pretty guilty for the amount of time I spend watching this show when I know I should spend every second of my 'free time' working on my thesis, but we all need breaks once in awhile.

I've written 22 pages for my thesis (which I've nicknamed 'turkey' because I'm tired of saying and thinking 'thesis'), so I haven't been completely lazy! I sent them into my advisor and just got it back with a bunch of notes. I'm happy though, he said it was OK which is good. I was worried he'd send it back and tell me I had to start over again. I'm writing about the Christian Right and their influence on Presidential elections (in the U.S. Other countries have "Christian Rights" too, though not very many. Most, like in Europe only have "Christian Lefts"). It's really hard to keep it focused. I find it all so interesting that I feel like I could write hundreds of pages on it, but it should only be 70 - 100 pages long. In some ways its difficult to be completely unbiased on the topic, but in other ways it isn't that difficult because I'm not sure exactly how I feel about it. My underlying argument is that the abortion issue is what gives the Christian Right the most influence and without it they would have much less power. The Christian Right is actually a very influential voting block in the U.S. From what I've read - the only reason Obama won was because of the economy and because Bush had such low ratings. But, once the economy is better, there's a good chance the Christian Right will be influential again. Especially since the majority of americans are now pro-life for the first time according to a recent gallup poll.

Anyhow, I probably won't write any blogs for awhile. For one, I don't think anyone reads them. Secondly, I don't blame them because I don't have anything very interesting to say. And finally, I really do need to focus all of my writing on my turkey. Thus, this dangling conversation will dangle indefinitely for a time.

Next week Izzy and I fly to California! I'm trying really hard not to be nervous. We will be living with my parents for nearly 5 weeks! My parents are going to babysit so I can get a lot of work done on my turkey. It's going to be hard. I'm going to miss Nick a lot. He's going to be stuck in Prague working on his own turkey. I'm also going to miss Mia. I wish there were someway I could explain to her that I'm leaving, but that I'll be back! I'm mostly nervous about the incredibly long flight. Traveling alone with a teething baby just sounds impossible to me, but I keep reminding myself that I'm not the first person to do this nor am I a bad mother for doing it and thousands (hundreds?) of babies fly long distances all the time. Speaking of time, the time difference is 9 hours. It always takes me a good two weeks to get used to it. I have no idea how Isabella will cope with the time difference or how we'll cope together. Poor baby. I just hope more than anything that she will be healthy and happy and that this trip won't hurt her in anyway. I'm excited to show her the ocean and palm trees and well, Redlands and all the people there! I can't believe I'm flying home with my baby for the first time. I never would have imagined myself to be where I am today 10 years ago, but I'm sure that what ever vision I had for myself at that time is nowhere as great as reality. I am so happy and thankful for the life I am living!:) I wonder where we'll be 10 years from now?

Okay, time for another episode of Gilmore Girls. I hope Lorelai ends up with Christopher somehow!! And I hope Rory gets over Jess, he is such bad news... I know, I'm incredibly lame.

It keeps you runnin'

Today I decided to map my run and see how far I've been going. I thought it was about 2 miles, but after mapping it I found out I was only going about 1 mile. This was pretty bad news, especially since it's the route we take Mia on every day - which we lovingly refer to as "Doggy Highway". All this time I thought I was walking so much each day, but the reality is a bit shorter. This made me nervous since I've been thinking about running a 5k race in September. Could I possibly survive a 5k/3 mile race with only 4 weeks to prepare?

To find out, I had to map a new run. One that is the full 5k. This task turned out to be rather difficult. I wanted to make it so that I could take Isabella with me in her Baby Jogger, but avoid streets with cars and preferably not run in circles. Of course, Izzy is not a huge fan of the stroller, not since she's seen the world in full view in her Baby Bjorn. When I go running I usually have to get Nick to babysit, because I'm afraid the Iz will just end up crying if I take her and I'll end up having to carry her in one arm and push the stroller with the other and running will just be a dream. This fear, unfortunately, enables me to run about once a week if I'm lucky. So, in order to start running regularly I'm going to have to find away to persuade Isabella to stay in her stroller and be content. If you have any suggestions, please let me know!

So, I created a 5k route that I decided to test out today. I really wasn't sure if I would be able to survive it or not. 5k's really aren't that difficult. In fact, in my younger days when I was childless, unmarried and living at Nad Aleji I went on a 6k run 3-5 days a week without any problems! It only took me about 25 - 30 minutes. However, taking a year off from running due to pregnancy and resulting in childbirth seriously messes up the body. But, I figure I have to start somewhere and this 5k race is just the motivation I need to get me on the road again.

I put on an old Redlands 4th of July T-shirt, shorts and running shoes took Mia and left the husband and baby at home and somehow, I managed to survive the full 5k's. I did have to walk a bit and I ran at a speed that is probably slower than a tall man's fast stride, but I finished the 5k in about 40 minutes - which is under 60 minutes (the maximum time limit for the 5k race!). So, I know I can do it!!

Now I'm really excited about the 5k race. It takes place at night in downtown Prague where there will be lots of live bands and other festivities. I've decided that I'm going to run by myself, because I don't think anyone else would want to go at my grandma-pace. Plus, I love to just listen to music and get lost in my thoughts while I run. Today I was inspired a bit by my new favorite Catholic Priest - Father Roderick, who does a podcast that I've been listening to. I watched a short youtube video he made about running and praying. I try to pray when I run and it's easy when I run up steep hills, but it's definitely something I should do more often.

AND we got a years pass to the Prague Zoo! I LOVE the Prague zoo. It's so casual and fun. You can bring your dog and they provide doggy bowls with water in them all over the zoo. We took Mia the first time and I went again yesterday with just Isabella. Izzy seemed to really like it - especially the flamingos, tropical fish, penguins and parrots. When we went in the Indonesian Jungle everyone was watching the monkeys, everyone except for Isabella who was fascinated by all the people:) When we took her to the giraffes, one young giraffe was very interested in Isabella and walked up really close to us, but Izzy didn't seem to care. I guess she's used to both people and animals staring at her, wondering what this little hairy creature is all about?

Baby Bella & Mixed Marriages

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in awhile you could miss it” Ferris Bueller



Yesterday, I tried to stop and look around at life. Luckily, it was a brilliantly sunny day and Isabella was in a great mood. She laughed out loud more then she’d ever laughed before in her life! We were all sitting on the couch and Mia kept licking me and Isabella and Izzy just kept giggling and giggling while Nick held her – it was the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.

The colic is gone! One night about a month ago Stephanie and Ashley came over to cook dinner for us and to see Isabella. For the first time ever she didn’t scream that evening. It was so pleasantly quiet and strange. Then the next night she was calm again and the night after that too. She’s suddenly become a very happy baby who hardly screams at all now! It’s amazing! The clouds have broken and the sun is shining through!!

The Iz and I go to Mommy and Me Yoga classes once a week. The babies "lay" on a mat in the middle of the room and we all sit around them and do yoga. It’s great! Most of the women are Czech, although the class is in English. Isabella loves to see all the other babies and mommies. She’s so good during class. She’s the youngest baby in class and everyone loves her. Last week the teacher said to me in front of all the other Moms that her daughters told her that Isabella is the most beautiful baby in the whole class and that they are completely taken with her!! I couldn’t believe it! I mean, I believe what they said – she’s the cutest baby ever, but I couldn’t believe she said it in front of the other mothers! To my surprise all the other mothers agreed! I didn’t know what to say. Of course, I think my baby is the most beautiful baby, but that’s because I’m her mother.

Whenever we go out people always stop in awe of Isabella. She smiles a lot these days and strangers just can’t get over how much hair she has. As Katie put it, Izzy is very expressive. You can tell what she’s thinking all the time. She has so many facial expressions. I think she might grow up to be an actress. She really is such a darling! I don’t know what I did to create such a beautiful child, but I already feel sorry for her future siblings, because I’m not sure how they are going to be able to compete with a face like that☺



We went for our first trip away from home a few weeks ago for Stepan and Irena’s daughter’s 1st birthday. Isabella was constipated the whole trip, but as soon as we got home she pooped like a cow. One night while we were there some people started talking in Czech about mixed marriages. I’m not sure if they thought I didn’t understand or if they just forgot that Nick and I are in a mixed marriage, but I understood everything. They were talking about someone’s relative who is Czech and who married an Estonian and how this marriage is clearly doomed because Estonian culture is so different from Czech culture. (Are you kidding me?!) They talked about other European cultures and how most just can’t mix. I was too shocked and too tired to say anything. Plus, I know my Czech isn’t very good and I didn’t want to embarrass myself, but now I really wish I had said something.

I’m so sick of people’s cultural bias’ in so many ways. This is definitely not the first time I’ve heard people talk about how different cultures shouldn’t marry each other – that they are just TOO DIFFERENT. One person even said to my face that my marriage is basically doomed because Americans are too different from Czechs and that they can never understand each other. This same person also told me on a different occasion that Americans can’t feel things deeply because they are too happy.
I’ve lived here for 5 years now and I’m so tired of people assuming things about me just because I’m an American. It’s so naïve and narrow minded. Yet, I’m constantly bombarded with comments here and there about Americans and American things – even by close friends. Recently, our pediatrician asked me why I decided to marry a Czech? He even asked if I would have chosen an American if I had stayed in America! It was so funny and such a stupid question coming from a very educated man who had practiced in both Boston and London!

Most of the time I’m sure people don’t mean any harm by these kinds of questions and comments - they are just pointing out general differences, but sometimes they aren’t. These generalizations about cultures are the very poison that leads to injustice and wars. It astounds me that people, especially educated people who have traveled, still make these generalizations in the 21st century. When are people going to realize that every single person is different and that their gender, culture, astrological sign, etc. does not and cannot define them!

Anyhow, that’s life right now. I started “jogging” again – when I have the chance. Few things in life are better then the release I feel and the endorphins I get when I run. I’m planning on going to stay with my parents for 3-4 weeks in the fall with Isabella so I can hopefully finish my thesis. I’m already nervous about flying all by myself with her across the Atlantic! And I’m sad about being away from Nick for that long, but we’ll survive. After all, not only do I love my husband very much and have a great marriage, despite the fact that I’m married to a man from such a completely different culture from my own, but this mixed marriage somehow produced a bella-bundle of joy!;)

My Tribute to the King of Pop

Michael Jackson is the Elvis of our generation.

I can't believe he's dead! He was so young! Granted that he did have a few screws loose, no one can deny the fact that he was an amazing artist and I believe that he had a good heart.

One of my earliest memories is trying to do the moonwalk for hours when I was like 5 years old. Shortly there after I had my first 3D experience with possibly the greatest attraction Disneyland ever had - Captain Eo. Even as a 6 year old I knew it was kick ass cool!

I used to choreograph dances to Bad and Thriller. I remember waiting with unbridled excitement for the premier of Michael Jackson's new music video staring Macaulay Culkin with my parents in front of the TV. Then I remember choreographing more dances to that album!

I remember driving around with Nabil in high school listening to the King of Pop (Nabil is the biggest MJ fan I've ever met).

Then when I was 21 I worked at Childhelp and got to go with the kids to Neverland Ranch. It was an amazing experience! Michael sadly wasn't there. However, his staff was so incredibly nice! It really was like going to a magical place. They treated the orphans so well - for some of the children it was probably the best day they will ever have in their whole lives! They gave us tons of free food and candy - even quarts of free delicious ice cream! We watched a movie in MJ's private cinema and got all the free candy and popcorn we could eat. We rode the train, saw the lamas and other animals. We rode the awesome carnival rides and got to go on a tour of his home. It was really a wonderful day and I felt a great deal of gratitude towards Michael Jackson for his generosity.

This morning while I was feeding my little girl, my husband walked in the bedroom and told me the Michael Jackson was dead. It's so shocking and sad. He may be dead in body, but he will live forever through his songs and incredible dancing! Long live the King of Pop!!

My Motherhood

Being a mom is kind of like being hung-over all the time, only without being drunk the night before. I basically go about my day in a kind of cloudy haze getting things partially finished or partially started because either a wee munchkin interupts me somehow – usually with crying, screaming, puking, etc and/or I completely forget what I’m doing and/or I get distracted. Laundry gets halfway hung up, food gets lost, I can’t remember if I wrote the email I was planning on writing or if I just dreamed that I had written it. A lot of this happened under the influence of pregnancy as well, so I’m pretty used to it.

For me the hardest part of being a mom is the constant feeding. My nickname around the house has become “the diner”. “The diner” is apparently open for business 24/7 for Isabella and boy does she take advantage of that! She gets hungry about every 1 ½ - 2 hours and it usually takes almost an hour to feed her because she falls in and out of sleep while eating and its impossible to keep her awake or she eats too fast and has to be burped constantly. I’ve finally given up on trying to feed her faster – when I try it only seems to make matters worse. However, this feeding schedule only gives me a small window of opportunity to get anything done, especially since things like burping the Iz and changing her diaper are part of that tiny opportune window. The Doctor said that she’s just going through a “growing phase”. Funny how this phase has been going on since the day she was born. People have said that I should try to make her wait longer between feedings, but that’s really impossible. She screams like bloody murder when she’s hungry. I’ve never heard another human scream as loudly and as painfully as she does. She takes the term “Drama Queen!” to a whole new level. Personally, I think she will be an actress when she grows up.

Feeding her isn’t bad at all. I actually kind of enjoy it, except it makes me hungry all the time. I’ve turned to Scrubs to distract me during her feedings. I can’t believe I never watched this show before! Yeah, it’s silly, but I like it. I’ve successfully completed seasons 1 & 2 and am currently halfway through 3 thanks to my friend Ben for lending me his DVDs and surfthechannel.com (for the DVDs he is missing). I know I should be reading and working on my thesis during this time, but turning my mind off is so much better.
Luckily, she often sleeps for 3 whole hours at a time at night. Not always, but it’s great when she does. She sleeps in bed with us, which is a very controversial subject, but at this point I can’t imagine not having her sleep with us. It would be awful to have to physically get up in the middle of the night to feed her every time she wakes up. Instead I just kind of scoot over before she starts crying and everyone is happy. I know a lot of people say not to do this because then your child will never leave your bed, but I figure that will be a problem anyway. Both Nick and I LOVED sleeping with our parents in their bed and neither one of us started out life sleeping in the same bed as our parents like Isabella is doing now, we both had to sleep separately. So, we figure we’ll jump that hurdle if and when we come to it.

Okay, I change my mind, the worst part about being a mom is the hours long crying marathon that occur basically every night. It’s horrible. I now fully understand the definition of “colicky”. It’s absolutely terrible. She screams and screams in agonizing pain and nothing we do comfort her. I’m sure that part of it is acid reflux that she has and that I’ve been trying to tackle with my own diet and keeping her up right and so on, but still. She’s a little angel most of the day, but then at night my ears and heart bleed in pain as she screams and screams. They say colicky babies turn out to be incredibly smart, thus I’m pretty sure we have some kind of Einstein on our hands. I mean really, I’m just waiting for the neighbors to call the police because it sounds like we terrorize her for hours each night. This kid must be a genius.