Mother's Day

It was Mother's Day here today, so yesterday our church had a lunch celebration together after church.  This is the first sort of "social" thing at our church that we've attended and it was so much fun to get to know some of the folks a little bit better and see how they do a church dinner.  We have been really blown away with how friendly and kind everyone has been toward us.  And accomidating!  It's just amazing to see so many people make an effort on our behalf.  People willing to take care of Maya during the sermon ("nursery" looks really different here).  Providing translation for us any time we want (we choose to stick it out in Arabic, but we've had friends who have taken advantage of their standing offer to translate the sermon for us).  Calling us when we're not there, and I've even had a play date with one of the gals from church who has a little girl a bit younger than Maya!  Also, to celebrate Mother's Day, my precious husband got me a bread machine!  I am so excited!  Now all I have to do is muster the strength to use it.  That sounds simple enough, but even dumping some ingredients in a bread machine has been more than I can do some days (Yes, I continue to struggle a great deal with morning sickness).  I have always disliked the bread here (hard, dry if you want whole wheat, weird and sweet if you go for the slightly softer white).  It goes bad so quickly that you have to keep it in the fridge (someone tells me this is because they don't put all the preservatives in it that bread in the U.S. has, but I say give me some American preservatives!) and keeping it in the fridge makes it even harder.  So. . . . I have always wanted a bread machine so I can (easily) make my own bread!  I am so excited that Matt found one for me!  As soon as I give it a test drive I will let you all know.

Morning Sickness

Well, you might have severe morning sickness if. . . .

• You lurch out of bed in the middle of the night to run to the bathroom and puke (several times a night)
• You carry puke bags in your purse and car (and have had to use them)
• You puke 8-10 times a day, even while on nausea medicine
• You lose weight instead of gaining
• You keep food in your bedside table, just in case
• When choosing what to eat, you consider what that food will taste like when vomited
• The delivery guys from the restaurants in your area all know you by name
• You are unable to touch, cook, or smell meat of any kind
• You fix yourself something to eat, and then become so grossed out, that you cannot eat it
• You debate each night about whether or not to take your pre-natal vitamin because you're pretty certain you won't be able to keep it down long enough to fall asleep
• The smell of your fridge turns your stomach every time you open the door
• You get heartburn so bad from the puking that you stay up several hours later than normal, just to stay in an upright postition to try to get it to go away
• Your 15 month old learns to mimic the sound of puking

I'm gonna talk to my Doc tomorrow and see if there is some other medication I can try.  Suggestions are welcome.  I've tried Motilium (domperidone), Primperan (Metoclopramide), and I'm currently taking Kytril (Granisetron), which only works part of the time.

Teeny Tiny Bit of News

We have a little bit of news.  News about the size of a raspberry to be exact.  The next Jacobsen is in the making--I am pregnant!  I will write a post soon about the havoc that this child is wreaking on my body, but for now, let's just be happy.  And happy we are.  So grateful that the Lord has blessed us with another baby.  I am due October 13th, my little sister's birthday!  My Dr. even surprised me with her willingness to consider a VBAC, if all the criteria is met (i.e. no induction, not overdue, no high blood pressure, etc.).  Our friends who live in the South just had their second daughter, and their first is the age that Maya will be when our #2 comes on the scene, so it's fun to see how she has handled things.  When we went to visit them in the hospital, I was terrified at how Maya lunged and grabbed at the baby and I'm really grateful that she will be quite a bit older when baby #2 arrives.  Please pray for me--I have been very sick this time, and even with a very expensive drug from the states, I still continue to puke multiple times throughout the day and night.  Thanks for celebrating the good news with us!

Baby Doll

We got two sweet baby dolls as a gift from friends, right when Maya was born, and they have been sitting up on the top of her bookshelf ever since.  I noticed the other day that she had noticed them, so I thought, hey, it may be time to get those down.  Maya was fighting a nasty cold, so forgive the jammies, the bedhead, and the snot-crusted nose.  I promise, I do occassionally bathe and dress my child.  I don't know where my camera disappears to in those moments. . . .

I loved what was written on the box--reminded me of my China days.

 

Put a Bird on it

After my post about bird removal, my sister and brother in law sent us this link to a video of their (and our) favorite new show Portlandia.  It made Matt and I laugh so hard, we thought we would share.  It's a very funny series of sketches with basically these 2 people, who play all sorts of "characters" you might find in Portland.  Since Matt spent a few years out there, it's especially funny to him.  Apparantly, some of them are a wee bit, well, sketchy, but the ones we've seen are hysterical.  So, enjoy, and hey, put a bird on it. . .

My Little Valentine

Because at some point I am going to write an awesome post about my rockin' valentine, but didn't have time to because I was too busy on a hot date with him, these pictures of my little Valentine will have to suffice. . .

   

And I will leave you with these kisses from my little mini-valentine!

The Birds

Did you ever see that Alfred Hitchock movie?  So creepy.  That may be the origin of my general dislike of birds.  I had a boss once who loved birds.  I could never fully support that love.  Now don't get me wrong.  I love all of the cute/trendy birds that are all over the place right now on fabric and in other decor.  I just don't like actual birds.  Some dirty birds keep trying to build a nest in Maya's window box and there are regularly nasty eggs out there that need to be gathered up and thrown away.  But that's not what this blog is about.    Do you see the birds on my blog? (upper right hand corner)  How did they get there?  And more importantly, how do I get RID OF THEM?  They were never intentional.  I think I was trying to change the layout of my blog and somehow got the little flock to nest and while they kind of blend in with most of the backgrounds that I have used--I don't really want them.  I've changed my background many times and they stay.  I've tried to change the layout to "Simple" but they stay.  Any thoughts?  I know I've seen the birds on one other person's blog, but now I can't remember who.  Can you help me with my bird problem?