Magda's growth

This afternoon when Magdalena awoke from her nap, I went in her room and sat beside her on the bed. She looked bigger to me than when I'd left her at home this morning with her Daddy as I went to work. So, I told her she looked bigger, that I thought she'd grown in her sleep. She stared at me in disbelief then looked down at herself as if to check if she'd gotten any bigger. I then asked, "Do you think you grew some?" She replied, "not yet." I am glad to keep her as small as possible for as long as possible - but everyday she shows me more and more that she is growing up and becoming her own person. I am amazed daily at her independence and depth of knowledge and understanding of how the world around her exists. She's a smart little thing with a very quirky sense of humor that keeps us smiling!

First sleep-over

Magdalena stayed all day long for 3 days in a row with Gracie last week so that her mom, Charity, could babysit her while I worked. Tonight Gracie's parents are attending a birthday party, so we're returning the favor and having Gracie spend the night.
The girls insisted they wanted to sleep in the same room, but a couple minutes after I snapped this shot they both said they wanted their own room! :-) So, Gracie is sleeping over, but in the living room and Magdalena is in her own room.

Magda's Hockey stick dance (to Jewel's wonderful music)

I just came across this video taken when we were still in the USA this past winter. Thought it too cute to not share. :-)

Magdalena's prayer

Saturday afternoon at nap-time as I sang to her, Magdalena rolled over on her side, put her little hand on my belly and prayed:
Dear Jesus, Thank you for the baby in Mommy's tummy.

On this day 41 years ago...

...the Russians invaded Czechoslovakia. Three of my 9 students this past week are 46 years old. They all told me memories of this day when they were 5. For one man, this was his first memory. Peter is Slovak and is from the city of Kosice where there is a military airport. His memory is of seeing the sky filled with planes and the Russians landing at the base.

Dana is Czech and is from Prague. She remembers a bomb landing and going off in their building's courtyard. The explosion took out her family's kitchen wall and a bullet went through their ceiling. Her mother drew a circle around the bullet hole and refused to have it repaired for several years because she wanted to keep the memory alive of the Russian destruction. After the bomb went off, Dana and her family went into their cellar for 2 days...one of her neighbors attempted to fight off a tank in the courtyard with his axe. The soldiers shot him down with an automatic gun - his feet remained planted firmly on the ground keeping his upper body limp while his lower body was still standing after death. She remembers that he made really good donuts and he would share them with her.

Vlada is Czech and his family was on the Labe river at their summer cottage when tanks crossed the bridge 500 meters upstream from their home on their way into Prague. He remembers one tank falling off the bridge and into the river and hoping that the soldiers would leave it there so he could play in it. When they removed the tank he was extremely disappointed.

After hearing these memories from people I know, not just from a movie (several Czech movies include scenes of this day) really made me pause and be thankful for the freedom I was raised in and the beautiful first memories I have.

Our Daily Bread...

Even though we can't (nor should) eat furniture, God has been providing for us each day what we need. Today, we went out shopping for a bed-frame for Magdalena and found a good deal. But, as we were arranging for delivery, we got a phone call from a friend offering us their daughter's bed-frame since they'd just bought a new bed for her and her brother. We immediately returned the bed we'd just bought and then went over to get the "new" frame at our friends' house. This is just one amazing proof of God's provision in the past few weeks since we've moved into our flat. We are truly blessed by God with what we have - not only in household goods, but also in friendship. Thank you, Jana and Marian for the bed!

Magdalena loves her new bed and went to sleep without a fight tonight - let's hope that continues!! She's very excited, too, that her bed will match the bed that Petr and I will be getting in a couple of weeks. Magdalena is very into matching these days (eye color, car types, her clothes, etc).

Moravian Monday

Playing outside before grilling out on Monday evening. Magdalena had fun playing with the neighbor, Dominika, who is a couple years older.
Pic Magda took of me and Kveta. Notice my earrings? They're really from a "jewelry" set of Magdalena's but since her ears aren't pierced, I had to wear the earrings to "match" her. :-)

10 more weeks, Baby!

Magdalena took this picture on Monday, but it was supposed to be of me and Petr and his mom. She focused in on her little sibling instead! Thought it an appropriate picture since today marks 30weeks into this pregnancy. 10 weeks to go and counting...

Baby's crib

Saturday, before we left for Moravia, we had an Ikea excursion to buy baby crib bedding. Magdalena "helped" choose it and then watched me put it in place today. She is very proud of this bed and the fact that she knows it is for her brother or sister. The day Mirka brought it over, Magdalena had to get inside to check it out. She proclaimed it comfortable for the baby and hasn't asked to get in again.
That is Magdalena's hand. Gotta get it just right! The polka-dots on the bumper pad are red, green, blue, yellow, and pink. A happy little ensemble, I do declare!

Magda and the bunny

It seems the days of Magda Bunny are over, but the days of Magda and the Bunny are in full swing! Every time we visit her grandparents, Magdalena has to play with the baby rabbits - Milan has so many rabbits that there are almost always little ones around. This visit was not an exception. Magdalena spent a couple hours playing with this cute speckled bunny. Below is a sampling of some of their adventures together...

Moravian Sunday

Since Petr lost his job on Friday, we took advantage of the time "off" for an extended weekend with his family. Sunday afternoon we ate a delicious lunch, took a delightful 2 hour nap, then went out for a little trip to buy fun toys and see animals in a mini-zoo. Magdalena loved these flower pinwheels!
Daddy, the toy lady's dog, and Magdalena. They "toy lady" is actually a cousin of Milan's so she was very willing to share her doggy with Magdalena who loves any animal or creature with 4 legs (or more - can anyone say ANTS??).
Choosing some goodies - a ball, a water game, and a Mickey Mouse pin!
Deda being a silly man with a crazy wig - we all agreed that he looks like a mad Indian, er, "native american." :-)

Out for a spin

This morning before Petr and Magdalena left for church, she wanted to go for a ride with "krava" (cow). So, she wrapped the string around the handlebar of her tricycle and spun around the room, over and over again! In case you don't quite catch it, at the end she says, "That's funny!"

I stayed home today from church, very appreciative of my husband who understands that I need some peace and relaxation (even if I am cleaning, cooking and doing laundry at the same time) without anyone around sometimes. He also understands that if I have a little rest and quiet time, he gets a much better quality lunch! ;-) So, while I'm waiting on the laundry to finish, I am sitting in a comfy chair, playing around online.

"Belly full of Baby"

28 weeks, 1 day pregnant - 11 weeks, 6 days til the due date!

Sunny!

Unbelievably, Sunny has escaped the viewfinder of my camera the whole time she's been here except for this one photo! She arrived 2 weeks ago and has been staying with us between her European romps, seeking the will of God for the next steps in her life. A few afternoons ago, we took advantage of Magdalena's nap time to grab a cup of coffee and KFC carry-out bowl of tiramisu (one of the desserts of the gods, by the way).
We've enjoyed many a late-night chat, reflections on what God is doing in our lives now, walks around town, Tesco trips, and a Girls Night Out with some of our other dear girl-friends. The timing couldn't have been better for me because almost the entire time she's been here, Petr has been working out of town. So, I've had a wonderful companion to keep me company and prevent me from getting depressed and mopey over missing my husband. :-)

Poolside day

Pavlina and I became instant friends the first time we met in 2005. We were working together for a magazine called Sirius and Naut as translator and proofreader, respectively. In those days, we were married without kids. Now, 4 years later, we are both expecting kiddo number 2 and still good friends! Pavlina's husband manages the building right next door to where we live, so when the weather was pool appropriate on Wednesday, she invited me and Magdalena over to enjoy the outdoors with her and Michele her 2 year old son.
Our water babies soaking in the rays and the H2O. Since Magda doesn't have water wings and cannot swim, she was confined to the stairs, but with her shades and some watering cans she stayed quite content (more like ecstatically happy) playing in the water! Michele has had swim lessons since he was 4 months old, so he is a capable fish able to swim wherever, but he stayed pretty close to Magdalena the whole day. I think these young ones will be as good of friends as their mommies!