Precious Moments

Happy Father's Day Weekend!
Sabrina-Hands2 Oct2007
I just love babies. The ones that make us "Mommy" and "Daddy" forever. Most of this year I've been having the baby cravings, holding them every chance I get. I love their little fingers and toes, they way their mouth and eyes move to say I'm hungry, I stink or I love you. I love watching ours grow up, slowly, and all their joy in the little things. I love the bond we share as we breastfeed, as we rock them to sleep, or just when they want to cuddle. Though they are still little, I will miss these moment they tend to grow out of. But look forward to all the new memories we'll share in the next phase.

I know, I got 2 girls and 2 boys whom I homeschool. I should be set, right? 4 parent hands, 4 kids. It took me a long time to just put it back in God's hands. He seems to know what I can handle more than I can. It's just nice to have that true prolife spirit, and use Natural Family Planning. Though I must say, we didn't PLAN any of these kids. Here are some snapshots of each beautiful child of ours.

Mikayla is a preteen coming up on 9 years this August. She's my best bud, best helper and a mini me. It's no secret she was conceived before we were married, but I can't imagine my life without her in it.
20wk0 US 20wk Mikayla
4days01 0Birth Mikayla 1yr1 Mikayla
2yr2 Mikayla 3yr3 Mikayla July2005
4yr4 Mikayla 5yr5 Mikayla
6yrFall at the Farm 7yrMikayla Anna Michalek age7
8yrMikayla Michalek age 8 9yrMikayla age8 June2011

We tried getting pregnant for a few months. During a 2nd trimester ultrasound we realized we were a month further along than we thought! So thrilled since so many couples try for years, and even my parents had 15 years between pregnancies. My silly Stanley just turned 7. He's my spirited child, full of energy, emotion and curiosity. Everything is a BIG deal to him, and we wonder what kind of a man he'll be.
20wks0 US 20 wk Stanley
3days01 0Birth Stanley 1yr1 Stanley
2yr2 Stanley 3yr3 Stanley
4yrStanley resting on arms 5yrStanley Thomas Michalek age5
6yrStanley Michalek age 6 7yrStanley T Michalek age7

I still pray for our two little angels (Baby Joseph and Mary) who were miscarried around 5-6 weeks in July and Nov 2006. Those were some hard times. It's when my depression hit it's lowest point, and I finally got help. The baby may look like a blob and I may have only known I was pregnant for a few days or weeks… but they are our babies. There was a time of joy, and a time of sorrow. But we are back to the joy that they are in Heaven, waiting for us. Lucky buggers.
3rd Pregnancyweek 6

I decided not to try to get pregnant again after the miscarriages.  Turns out, God knew better. We're coming up on Sabrina's 4th Birthday in Sept. Our princess as always, but a Belle or Rapunzel independent princess. She agrees, "those princesses have brown hair like me." She went to bed tonight covered in glitter powder.
20wk0 US 20wk Sabrina
4days01 0Birth Sabrina 18mSabrina - crawling1
1yrSabrina is 1 2yr Sabrina Rose Michalek age2
3yrSabrina Michalek age 3 3.5yrKarate Lessons

The first few years, we didn't worry if we got pregnant. The next few years, we were more tuned into NFP to keep it "planned" and "spaced out." Finally after talks with my best bud Jamie, she convinced me to just not think about it so much, and if it happens… it happens. A true prolifer. Only took one relaxing evening. [Jamie got pregnant the next month.] It's been almost two years since Jonathan was born. He's such a serious, tough guy. He's the only one I breastfed past 2 months, I think we made it to 7 months. Now he's officially done with the highchair. His favorite place is in Mommy's arms.
Jonathan 6th Pregnancy 5w0 US 5wk Jonathan 6w0 US 6wk Jonathan
20wk0 US 20wk Jonathan - Face 28wk0 US 28wk Jonathan - profile
1dayGEDC2690 1wkJonathan a few weekd old  
2mJonathan Baptism1 9mJonathan 9mth closeup2
1yrJonathan 1 Year Old 2yrsJonathan B Michalek age2
Like some moms would say, "Isn't he a ham!?" Whatever that means?

What's this, another positive test? Who does this belong to?
7th Pregnancy
Oh yes, that'd be baby number 7. A faint line at just 4 weeks, but it's there. Surprise!
What happened? or What the heck are you thinking??? 5 kids!
We packed up the baby stuff and crib in prep for the future mommy… my sister, since she's getting married this summer I figured she'd be next….  Sold the double stroller. Had Mom take the bassinet and carseat to store away. I better stick to breastfeeding, because I sold all the bottles too! Isn't that how it works, give away the crib and get pregnant? Sorry Annie, I guess I get dibs.
I also got talking to my close friends Kathryn and Jamie about babies. We seem to have the same fertility cycle.  Jamie's pregnant with #6, and Kathryn will be soon enough with #5! Thanks gals.
So what are we doing about it at only 5wks out of 40? Have we freaked out and considered abortion, adoption or hoping for a miscarriage? NO. We are thrilled to pieces. It's a shock, don't get me wrong. But every child is a gift from God. I'd never return a gift from God, would you? We have so much more love to give, and need a lot more practice with patience and humility.

Other stuff? We now have a deadline for all the little projects around the house. We're letting go of all the extra stuff we keep hanging onto. We pray God will help us find time to work on the baby books we're way behind on.
We're building a giant playhouse for the kids to escape to (or Tom and I).
100_4364100_4378
We've already moved the "Sleepover Girls" into the basement room with bunkbeds. They love the idea of a permanent sleepover. For now.
100_4379
Then today, found new doctors for the first time since 2001. Don't worry, we got to test the clinic out today - everyone but me has strep throat. I got blessed with a cold virus. My heart goes out to Jamie's family with a 3-week Bad Hair Day… the week after we visited her family she told us they all have lice! I'll take my box of tissues over that, and luckily they didn't jump on us. Can't wait to see their new haircuts though!

Time to dust off the car seat and reassemble the crib.
100_4380Fathers Day
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Do you think the nursery should stay pixie pink?
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Maybe a little ahead of the game, but it's my way of coping and I'm stickin to it… at least until the morning sickness begins. I was going to wait until 10-12 weeks to announce, but I just can't keep a secret this big. This post is my way of telling my family, so let's see who calls me screaming in excitement or shock first!?

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