So this news is probably not going to be interesting to many of you but since we use our blog to talk about everyday life, here it goes!

Most of you know that here in Colombia we have someone that comes a few days a week to help in our home. This allows me to get things done that take a million years here in a 3rd world country, like grocery shopping, paying bills, and working with speech therapy patients. Sonia has become a part of the family! With the heightened security situation she allows me to leave Jackson safe at home when I need to go to places that aren’t safe for him. She loves Jackson and he loves her! He now calls her “nya” because Sonia is too hard to say. One of the biggest parts of Sonia’s job is listening to my horrible Spanish and translating it into real Spanish so that we can accomplish things!!

Sonia has 7 weeks left in her pregnancy and I had to send her home early yesterday because she kept having back pains. I told her she needed to get to the hospital. She called last night to say that she is being put on bedrest at least for this week!  Ugh. I am bummed for her because I know it is stressful for her and I am bummed for us because we happened to have a million things this week that rely on having her!! We are looking in to her neice coming to help so that I don’t have to cancel patients, etc.

Sonia is so patient when Jackson wants to “help” her. She lets him try to vacuum!

This is a picture of her from about a month or so ago. She was kind of embarrassed but proud to have a picture of her pregnant belly! Pray that her baby boy would stay safe inside until the right time! We are praying for a healthy baby!

Yesterday afternoon we went for ice cream at Crepes and Waffles and then to the park nearby to swing. While he was swinging, Jackson spotted someone with a big bunch of balloons. He kept pointing to them.  Our friend Kima bought Jackson a balloon. It was too funny. He intently watched her as she walked over to buy it and watched as she walked back wishing and hoping she would share with him!  We could have left him in the park for hours with his balloon.

watching as Kima bought a balloon

“Looks like she is coming my way with that big blue balloon! Kima, you shouldn’t have!!!”

“Here it comes!!!”

“In my own little hand?!”

“Don’t worry guys, I can hold it and walk!”

When I was like 10 I had a “luau” themed birthday party and we played that famous Beach Boys song. Today Seth and I booked a trip to Aruba! We have been talking about taking a trip just the two of us for a while but we finally booked and flight and made reservations at a hotel. We are going for 3 nights and 4 days in November.  It is only about an hour and a half flight from us here in Bogota! Seth’s mom agreed to come have a “Mia weekend” with Jackson so that we can go and not worry about him. I will still worry because it will be our first  real trip away. I left Jackson when I had to go to DC overnight for a Dr’s appt but never for longer than that! It will be sad to leave him but we know he will have so much fun and get so spoiled! Mia/Seth’s mom will get to come a few days before we leave and then will get to stay for almost a week after we return. It will be nice to have a visit with family! And it will be nice to lay on the beach in Aruba!!!

Now back to working out! Can’t go to Aruba without being in really great shape!!!

We spent the weekend in Anapoima, a place outside of Bogota that is warmer and sunnier with our South African friends. We all had a great time, despite the power being out all night Friday night. By the way, babies sleep much better with a fan in sweltering heat! We had fun in the pool most of the time and Jackson got some good times in with Keegan, the other baby boy along on the trip! Here are a few pictures!

Fresh as a buttercup even after no sleep the night before! How do they do it?

The house where we stayed

Keegan with the horse

Jackson steeling the horse

Victory!

Jackson and Keegan spent most of their interactions together eating frozen bananas and stealing each others toys!

The beautiful pool

This was our 10th attempt to get a family shot…Jackson is catching on to this picture thing…the shovel is strategically placed in front of his face!!