With Loving Anticipation

Last weekend, we did a mini photo shoot highlighting our two kiddos (one in the shape of a round belly!) Michael did a great job with the pictures, as you'll see. 

Katelyn loves to hug and snuggle - even with the belly.

Katelyn is well-aware of the baby being in my tummy and has recently expressed much more curiosity about it. "Will the baby walk? Will the baby play with me? Does the baby have a mouth? Does the baby have two eyes and a nose? Does the baby have hair? Will the baby like bubbles? Does the baby have teeth?" Overall, she seems excited about the baby's arrival and we're hoping that continues :)

Sometimes when we read books and she's sitting on my lap, she wiggles her way in as close as she can but then says, "Can I be closer on your lap, Mommy?" This tummy can make everyday things a little challenging!

The soon-to-be big sister!

These pictures were taken at almost 38 weeks, so we're definitely in the home stretch! I don't know why, but I'm feeling much more ready for the delivery a lot earlier this time around. Lots of aches and pains and general heaviness makes me think I might go early... aaaand I probably just jinxed it!

I'm glad we were able to get these photos before the baby arrives. With as busy as we've been with preparations, nursery plans, getting all-things-baby out of storage, washing clothes and more, it's practically a miracle that we found 30 minutes to do this!

The fabulous camera timer function and a trusty tripod allowed for some shots of our family of 4...

... it's only a matter of days before we'll get to see and hold and snuggle our fourth family member :)

Tick-tock, tick-tock... 

New 'Do for a Splish-Splash Summer

At nearly two-and-a-half years old, Katelyn got her hair cut for the very first time last weekend. Michael and I were both nervous that if the "curlies" got trimmed off, that might be the last of them. But her hair was getting pretty unruly and uneven, so it was time for us to get over our fears take Katelyn to visit Snip-Its, which is a super fun, kid-friendly salon.

Katelyn enjoyed the experience and was a great listener while taking it all in. Here's the finished product all pulled together with a pretty purple ribbon :)

They only trimmed about an inch off the back and cleaned up the natural layers, but it's still a nice little summer 'do (with a lot less tangles!)

Speaking of summer, we've really tried to enable Katelyn to enjoy outdoor activities since we all know we'd pay big bucks for these days in January. (This mission has been a little challenging because of my overwhelming temptation to lounge on the couch in the air conditioning!)

Play dates with friends help a lot - the moms can relax while the kiddos play nicely together :) In this case, both moms are expecting so we especially enjoyed a little relaxing.

Ben and Katelyn - friends from music class

We spent a recent Friday morning at the Minnesota Zoo with a mommy/daughter duo from our Mom and Baby class at the hospital (back in the spring of 2010). In addition to a plethora of animals, there's also a splash pad at the zoo - how fun is that?! After checking out many of the animals, the girls put on their suits for some splish-splashing and cooling off!

Katelyn and Sydney

We also spent some time at the big chlorinated pond in Maple Grove. It's very "beach-like" since it's surrounded by sand and has plenty of large umbrellas around it (thankfully!) I made myself at home in the shade and still managed to be dripping with sweat by the time we left. And I was just sitting there. 

 Katelyn and Michael had a ball keeping cool in the water, as you can see...

Michael was a swimmer in high school, so he took the opportunity to teach Katelyn how to dip her face into the water. They're such a good team :)

Getting her game-face on for the dunk-a-roo...

Every time she popped up, she'd say, "I did it!!"

Summer days sure have been HOT this year, but they've also been fun-filled and carefree just like they ought to be. Hope you are getting in some summer fun too!

All About Baby

We will be a family of four within 18 days. Wowza! It seems surreal to say that! (And don't you like how I'm going ahead with the assumption that I won't be a day overdue? I hope the baby hears me.)

Last week, I got a surprise peek at the baby. When I was in for my 37-week appointment, the doctor couldn't quite tell if the baby was in the head down position, so she wanted to confirm that with a brief ultrasound. Indeed, he/she is head down. And has a nice round, chubby cheek and lovely looking ear ;)

Here are a few tidbits discovered during the preview. This babe ...

- has "a lot of hair" according to the technician

- is overall measuring about a week ahead of his/her due date

- weighed in at approximately 7 lbs. 1 oz. at 37 weeks 

(gaining 1/2 pound a week, may put it near 9 lbs at 40 weeks - oye!!)

- has especially long femur bones (the tech said, "your husband must be tall!")

- has chubby little fingers (one of the images showed a hand resting against a cheek)

- is very active as he/she was wiggling around during the ultrasound 

It sure was fun to have an impromptu sneak peek!

Another thing growing besides the baby is his/her book collection. My office spoiled us with a special lunch and a "baby book shower" last week. So unexpected and gracious, especially considering my colleagues know I will be staying home after the baby arrives. Check out these goodies! 

My office is also doing a baby pool to guess the birth date, time, and gender. Out of about 25 guesses, not a single one has been made in July. The August guesses range from August 1 to August 17.  (Trust me, I've had words with the cold-hearted August 17 guesser! ;)

Knowing that our time is ticking until baby #2 arrives, Michael and I decided to take advantage of a free Saturday night last weekend. We hired our favorite neighbor girl to babysit Katelyn, made dinner reservations, and enjoyed a great date night. It's probably our last one for awhile, so we savored it!

There you have it; a few baby-related updates for now. Of course the biggest update is still to come, so stay tuned!

Finding Peace with a Big Decision

Alright friends and family, this post is a deviation from what you might normally read here, but it's one that I've been hoping to share for some time...

Have you ever been in a place where you truly did not know what to do? I understand the magnitude of this hypothetical question ranges from "should I book that vacation?" to "should I forgive that person who hurt me so badly?" For me, when we found out we were pregnant with our second baby, my thoughts immediately went here: "Should I continue working or stay home with the kids?" And, even though it might sound strange, I did not feel equipped to make that decision on my own. 

Having worked three days a week ever since Katelyn was born, it was, for me, the perfect balance - continued professional and personal growth while still enjoying precious time as our 4-month-old turned into *blink!* a 2-year-old. The built-in balance made this decision particularly difficult. But financially, to continue working part-time while paying for two children in daycare didn't make a lot of sense. However, knowing the balance it afforded me (and the value we've seen school provide to Katelyn), we did consider it. Michael was 100% supportive of either decision, but finally, I reached a place where literally I could not make the call on my own. I asked God to make the decision for me and make it abundantly clear. And you know what? He did. He changed my heart because that's what it took; my heart equally resisted and embraced both options - I needed clarity. He brought people into my life to ease my anxieties about staying home. He brought opportunities to become involved in things to keep us engaged in life and not isolated at home (as my mind tended to fear). He brought peace to my "what if" questions by making clear this is the right thing for our family right now. He practically branded onto my heart, "I can do all things through Him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:13 - because I cannot (nor would I want to) do this alone. I humbly concede that I need His guidance, support, and patience (as well as Michael's). And I listened to and followed His direction.

When my "mommy-mentor" Shelly, shared with me this blog post, it practically caused a cosmic shift in my thinking. And it was yet another nudge toward choosing to stay home. Finally! I thought, This woman is speaking directly to my fears and apprehension: not every single second I spend with my child(ren) is blissful and perfect. And she's telling me, It's okay. It's okay! This is what I needed to hear. The moments of "kairos," as she refers to them, sprinkled throughout a day are what make the chaos and stress fade away, and those times are what make it all worth it. All this time I thought that since every single second wasn't a walk in the park, staying home wasn't for me. I was wrong. This was the dose of reality I needed to sink in. And it resonated down to my bones.

 I've heard from many stay-at-home-moms that the decision was easy to make and involved no regrets. However, I had a hard time conceptualizing staying at home and what it meant for our family. I did a lot of thinking and my mind did a lot of worrying about such a huge change. They grow up so fast, are you sure you want to miss out on that? How will your kids be socially stimulated? You won't be contributing financially to the family anymore - are you okay with that? Are you sure you have the patience to be home everyday? What will exiting the workforce mean for your career? Don't you want to be there when your baby takes his/her first steps? See? Lots of thoughts - flip flop thoughts from both sides of the coin. Since it wasn't instantly a "no-brainer decision," I told myself I was not set up to be successful as a stay-at-home mom. I doubted my abilities because the decision didn't come naturally to my little human brain. But when I surrendered the situation to God, He changed things. Prayer changes things.

Not too long ago, our church spent some time discussing Colossians 3:20-23 about children respecting their parents and parents encouraging and supporting their children. This naturally turned into a sermon about the challenges faced in parenting and some overarching parenting truths were presented. This particular Sunday morning was yet another nudge. Here are the four critical truths shared that morning:

- Taking care of myself is taking care of my kids. To me, this means that taking care of my needs is not a selfish act, but a selfless one that allows me to bring the best version of myself to my kids. I can still workout take walks, I can still take showers (!), I can still meet a friend for coffee.

- My job is to help my kids learn to struggle and do their own journey. My job is not to rescue my children from every difficulty they face; that is not doing them any favors. My job is to help them learn... learn how to treat people, learn how to do things, learn to overcome struggles, learn to do their own journey.

- I am not the only one who holds my child's story. I admit I don't know it all, nor can I offer it all. That's why I'm thankful for this truth: the idea that many people play an important role in shaping my children's lives and contributing to their life story. Michael, family members, friends, teachers, neighbors. It was too much to carry thinking it was all up to me.

- I will fail; but God will parent my child just as God has parented me. My personal favorite. This spoke to my concerns about not being the perfect stay-at-home-mom. It acknowledges the fact that I will fail, but it's okay. It's okay! God never fails and there is some real security in knowing and believing that truth.

After prayerful consideration and many (subtle and overt) nudges, we've made the decision that I will be staying home full-time after the baby is born. I plan to work up until the delivery and then Katelyn will be in school for a week or two after that in an effort to gradually change her routine. After that, our "new life" begins... and we're looking forward to what lies ahead - the beauty of it, the importance of it, the challenge of it, the uncharted territory of it.

So you might be wondering, what the heck is this post all about?! It's about a multitude of things. It's about the power of prayer. It's a real-life story about how we came to hear God's voice cut through the clutter of a million other voices. It's about allowing our children to see someday (through reading this) that it's okay to not know what to do in certain situations. It's okay! It's about encouraging our children to pray for direction. It's about showing our children that there's no such thing as a "one-size-fits-all solution" for big decisions in life. It's about being secure and confident in the changes ahead. It's about learning to fully trust Someone other than myself. It's about sharing a deeper part of the Team Mlakar story.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Lots of Fun in the Hot, Hot Sun

So you may have heard about (or experienced for yourself) the record-breaking heatwave through much of the country. Whew. With it happening throughout the week of Independence Day, this large mama we tried not to let it impact our involvement in all the fun activities taking place.

July 3rd was an annual evening event of music, fireworks, and fun in Plymouth. We went to the bandshell and packed a picnic dinner. There was a lot to enjoy including a flyover by 4 airplanes, food vendors, music, local government campaigners, and balloons. We stayed for dinner and then headed home - it was a fun way to get out and do something different. Can you tell how hot it was?! The rosy cheeks and curlies are a total giveaway.

Never one to sit around, last week Michael signed up to run a 5k on Independence Day. Yes, he's one of those lucky people who can do that with zero training or preparation. (I would need a personal trainer... for at least 6 months.) Oh, and he decided to push Katelyn in the jogging stroller too. And did you know July 4th hit 101 degrees which marked a new record? Lots of factors make this feat especially impressive :) We headed out west to a town called Delano for the 5k race first thing in the morning. 

Katelyn and Daddy preparing for the big run (this was before they did stretches together :)

I found a spot along the race (and parade) route. The shady spots were the first to go, so I found a spot right in the sun - uggg - but there was a tree nearby. I found refuge there, until the dynamic duo made their appearance :)

Michael said Katelyn was waving to all the onlookers throughout the race. She also liked getting sprinkled by the water stations with hoses. I can see why - it was blazing hot just relaxing in the stroller! 

She also served as Michael's own personal cheerleader saying several times throughout the race, "You can do it, dad!" How's that for motivation?!

Shortly after the race, the (2-hour long!) parade began. We stayed for about 20 minutes (the equivalent of 8 pieces of candy and a Fla-vor-ice popsicle) and then made our way home. Katelyn waved at all the floats, bands, and "princesses" in cars (local community ambassadors :)

Later that day, we celebrated the successful race completion with a trip to Dairy Queen. Katelyn enjoyed her first-ever ice cream cone! She chose "chock-a-lat" for the flavor. And you should've seen her light up when she found out the cone was edible too :)

On Thursday evening, we trekked south to Ames for a weekend visit. Knowing that our mobility will probably be limited in the next few months, I wanted to squeeze in one more little road trip. The next day, we drove to Panora, IA, to visit my Aunt Cindy and Uncle RJ at their lake house. And the boat was calling...

This was Katelyn's first boat ride and she kept wanting to take her "coat" off. I'm sure she thought we were nuts putting that on her when it was 95 degrees, but hey, safety first.

She even got the chance to drive the boat and boy did she take the role seriously! She cranked that wheel like nobody's business! It took us all by surprise :)

And then we approached nap time. The fast and exciting debut ride turned into a snuggly, sweaty, and sweet little jaunt back to the house. 

The next day we had visitors in Ames: Great Grandma Verla and Great Grandma and Grandpa Rehm! Katelyn warmed up quickly and had fun getting re-aquainted with these "great" family members. 

We did lots of laughing and monkey-ing around! Isn't that what Gramma and Papa's house is for?

Katelyn with her two great grandmas... all such pretty girls!

Katelyn had a little training session with "Big Papa Ed" on how to use an I-phone. She really does know how to navigate her way through photos and access her apps (which are mostly matching or drawing games). She'll probably be teaching me some shortcuts soon.

A couple weeks ago, Katelyn was watching the Cubs with my dad. One hit went over the outfielder's head and it prompted Katelyn to say, "Hold out your hands!" Ha! C'mon MLB player, even a 2-year-old knows how it should be done! As such, we played a lot of catch over the weekend too.

It was such a fun week! We made lots of great memories and got to see some very special people. Thanks to everyone who helped make that happen. Next time we visit, we'll have a new person to introduce!