Julia Proverbs: Chickenpox heaven

Miss Five desperately wants the chickenpox.
Not understanding what it actually entails, she has seen the spots on her friends and thinks it looks quite fun.
But, thankfully, she won't be finding out anytime soon, as she has already had it - when she was just 4 months old.
While some parents opt for "chickenpox parties", I conveniently contracted the disease first and passed it on to her.
Having managed to avoid it for 36 years, I caught it on a flight to England and broke out in the itchy blisters during the heat wave of 2006.
It was not a joyful experience.
But, in her case, it turned out to be a great time to have it as we dosed her up on Panadol, swaddled her tightly and left her to sleep it off.
I don't think she scratched one spot.
Which, of course, would not be the case were it to happen today.
If the dramas that are attached to one, teeny tiny mosquito bite are anything to go by, we would have a battle on our hands.
However, ignorance is bliss, and in her head the myth continues.
And in her quest to be struck down with the virus, she used her ingenuity.
Armed with an orange felt pen, she hid in her bedroom, stripped off and covered her entire body in spots.
Arms, legs, hands, feet, neck, face and even her bottom fell victim to her artistry.
The only part of her that wasn't adorned with orange spots was between her shoulder blades - you know, that bit you can't quite get to with the sunscreen.
Following her lead, Miss Two took to her face with the pen and gave herself a much milder case, dotting a few spots along the bridge of her nose.
"Itchy, scratchy chickenpox," they chanted, looking like they had some rare tropical disease.
Thankfully, due to Miss Two's penchant for drawing on anything but paper, the pen was washable.
By the time they had finished washing that evening the bathwater looked like Fanta.
If only the real thing could be washed away as easily.
With chickenpox doing the rounds in Tauranga at the moment, it could only be a matter of time before Miss Two is covered in spots.
And the orange pen comes out again.