Priscilla Anne, Sept 18, 8 pounds 4 ounces, 21 inches
Born at home surrounded by Godly women praying and worshipping!

Grandpa Kelly

Still no baby. Seriously. Stubborn Stiles family member, obviously. Puffin asked me if I was going to name this one Katheryn too.

40 weeks today. Since it is my due date, I'm not expecting labor to strike anytime soon. Tonight is a full moon, so maybe that will get things moving. I have way too many friends and family in the medical industry to poo poo the idea of the full moon affecting pregnant women and crazy people. Since I fit both of those profiles, I have hope, lol.

Tomorrow is Joshua's birthday. If Baby Broc does arrive tomorrow. My cousin Les will be Broc's Senior Grandpa and Joshua will be Broc's Jr Grandpa. I think it will be our first three person grandday in the fam, but I could be wrong about that. My little brother and sister were born on my Aunt Mary's birthday, but they don't count as multiple grands since they are twins.

Yesterday was 9/11. Ten years have flown by for me. I was four days away from my wedding to the man of my dreams. It was my last day of work before taking off. My child hood best friend was flying in from Mississippi. Mom was at my apartment. I got to work and my broker, Art said that the squawk box reported a plane had hit the World Trade Center. We chatted about what kind of idiot crop duster would fly smack into one of the tallest buildings in the world. Then we wondered why a crop duster was flying around NY City at all. We never fathomed it would be anything but a little plane. Later, we got a tv up and going and my friend Danielle and I were the only ones watching when we saw the second plane it. Our whole offices freaked out. It was just surreal.

Since they didn't know if these attacks were targeting the financial industry or what, and because we worked in a massive Exxon Mobil building that also might be a target, our office was shut down and we were sent home. I remember having to call the apartment office to have someone go beat on my door to tell my Mom what was going on since she can't hear phones ring. I was worried sick that my friend, Sharon, might already be in the air. I later found out that they were grounded before she took off.

It was such a weird week for us. We sat in front of the tv watching people fall from buildings while we put together guest goody bags for the hotels. Mom worked on finishing my veil while we watched the death toll increase. So surreal.

Four days later, I did, in fact, marry the man God created to fulfill me. No one was able to fly in  for the wedding and we didn't know if we would get to go on our honeymoon or not as the airports were all still shut down. A friend had a crop duster fly over the wedding and you can see everyone duck in the wedding video. The next morning, Robert and I got up and headed to Houston Intercontinental Airport. When we pulled into the parking garage three hours early, as instructed when we called, there were four cars in the parking garage (all vehicles had been towed since they didn't know if there were car bombs targeting airports) and all four had Just Married on them. We made it through the hand searches of everything we had  and were sitting at our gate in about 12 minutes. Our flight out to Belize was the first international flight out of Houston since flights were grounded 4 days earlier.

For Daddy and Grandpa Kelly. No baby. No news.

That is all.

38 weeks and counting. No signs of any impending action.

Although, after a conversation I just had with our old pediatricians office here, I'm worked up enough to start something. I hate the political, money hungry culture of the medical world in America. The pediatrician we used to use here is a wonderful Christian woman that just wants to help children. She is a JEWEL. Sadly, she is caught in the pool of greed that is our medical system. It makes me sick and mad. Basically, we were told that because we don't bow down to the establishment, money making pharmaceutical industry, their office no longer wants people like us as patients. I know this is not a personal conviction of Dr Ps.  She supports parents, and their right to choose what is best for their children. Anyway, it was a saddening conversation. Thankfully, their is a wonderful pediatrician in our area that is FULLY supportive of not vaccinating and other parenting choices that we make. We will switch to her. But I really loved Dr P.

36 weeks into this adventure of a pregnancy. Baby Broc is still busy juking and jiving on the inside, oblivious to the hot, bright world waiting to surprise him soon enough. Last week I over did it and spent all week trying to keep the contractions at bay. In Texas, it is illegal to homebirth before 37 weeks, so I have the rest of this week to play it safe, and then next Monday, it is game on.

People keep asking me what to expect, and I have no idea. I've had two babies go to 41+ weeks and I've had one at 38 weeks. I've had 2 labors from 48-72 hours and one that was about 12. I've had 2 c sections and 1 VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean, for you none birthy world people lol). I've had 2 girls and one boy. I've had 2 7 pounders and one 9 plus. Seriously, I have NO IDEA what to expect. Keeps us on our toes, I suppose. I will say that none of my three live births were near as painful as my miscarriage at 14 weeks, and yes, I've had one non medicated birth, so I do have comparison.

What I do know:
1. God knows. He has this and all of my births perfectly laid out for his glory and my good.
2. Spud, Sprout and Pod are ecstatic to soon meet Baby Broc. They tell me all the time.
3.We didn't move this pregnancy and that made it a much easier pregnancy.
4. Pregnancy is harder at 36 than it was at 29.
5. Both of my friends that I've been pregnant with for the last 5 pregnancies have now delivered their babies and now it is my turn.
6. It's going to be fun!

In non pregnant news....
Robert and I hit our homeschool conference a few weeks ago. I'll enjoy doing that not pregnant next year, lol. It was encouraging, as always. We got our Math U See ordered for Joshua and Leah. They are both DIEING to get started. I've held them off so far. I've decided to go with Veritas Press for most of Joshua's other subjects this year. Second grade history, grammar and bible and third grade literature. We will be studying creation to Egyptians. Going to be so fun. Leah is going to do Math U See and Explode the Code, maybe My Father's World, if I have the energy, Hannah will join in for those lessons as well. Going to keep me on my toes with a new baby. I'm not planning on starting school until late October at the earliest though. I had to bump Joshua's literature up because he's already read all of the literature in the second grade curriculum. This boy is still a reading machine. I love watching him fall in love with literature that I loved growing up too. He LOVED Old Yeller, but did not like Where The Red Fern Grows...said it was too sad.

Hannah is coming into her own. She has no baby left. She is potty trained, and quite happy to tell everyone she sees that she is wearing big girl panties, lol. I love when the non kid people just look at her in disbelief with no clue how to answer.....I don't help them out. lol. Hannah is ready for Baby Broc, or so she says. We'll see how that goes once he/she has encroached on her territory. We've never had jealousy issues with a new baby before, but there is always a first. Hannah has a different personality than her brother and sister, so we'll see what this brings forth.

I'm 31 weeks into the voyage of this pregnancy. Baby Broc (short for Broccoli, remember, we all have vegetable nicknames) seems to be doing well. His/her (remember, we don't find out what we are having, other than a healthy baby) kicks are getting much stronger and when he's rolling around it is quite uncomfortable. I feel like I'm having to slow down earlier this time than I have before, which is kind of frustrating. I'm not a do it all at a frantic pace kind of girl, but I also don't like kicking back and watching the world go by. I do have some major responsibilities that do kind of need attention ie three other small children and an awesome Godly husband.

Several Moms have reassured me saying that things just get a little harder with each pregnancy, but I don't know. I really think I just need to get my big girl panties on and get this shipped better organised so I don't feel behind when I am relaxing. I don't know exactly when I've slowed this dribble down, I don't feel like I've completely dropped the ball. Things have just slowly gotten more lax around here. Meal planning, schooling, housekeeping. I think some of it is because most of my friends are off school for summer breaks right now. We really have to keep going because we will have a big break in the fall once Broc gets here.

On a brighter note though, we are eatin sooooo well right now. I just LOVE when I am feeding my family healthy meals day after day. Seriously, I sit down at dinner and just feel a warm, gushy feeling because I know what we are putting in our bodies, God's temples, is pleasing and nourishing. Makes me soooo happy. We are getting a modest crop out of our garden and our veggie CSA are keeping me on my toes with creative and yummy ways to prepare a bountiful load of veggies. I just love summer for this reason.

Kid Update

Joshua- I am so proud of what he has accomplished this year. We are wrapping up our school year, sort of. We don't have an official off and on period, just take time off when needed. He's finishing up the second year of Math U See, we really are happy we switched to this program. He's adding and subtracting four digit numbers with carrying and borrowing. It's fun. The book also did time, but he's been telling time for a while. His reading has just taken off this year. He read constantly and he's fast. I wonder sometime how much he retains, but he can always tell me minute little details months later about books he's read. He read a ton of classics this year, along with the Hank the Cowdog book, Boxcar Children and lots of other misc books we came across through the year. His all time favorite book though is Dangerous Journey, the children's Pilgrim's Progress. He loves that book!

He's also growing! He's a tall lanky boy. He LOVED playing soccer and was pretty good, even playing with both feet, which his Dad tells me is a very important skill for soccer players. He's still just as social as ever! He's never met someone that he didn't consider an instant friend. Sadly, he's getting to the age where other kids, especially those schooled out of their homes are becoming rude and mean towards overly friendly kids. It is sad to watch, but he seems to take it in stride.

Leah- Leah has the biggest servants heart ever! Multiple times a day, she comes and asks me what she can do to help me, and she's serious. She will diligently and effectively do any chore that I ask of her. Big or small, fun or not. She is just such a blessing. She is also becoming more and more of a Mommy. She helps alot with Hannah and always with a good attitude. She's our little worker and the busier she is, the happier she is. It is fun!

She's backed up on asking to learn to read as much. I think she is enjoying the quiet play time she has with Hannah while Joshua does school in the mornings. She is, however, quite adamant that next year, she is going to play soccer, do ballet and tap. Not sure how she'll take it when we break the news to her that she isn't doing all of that, lol. She's as beautiful as ever, and people still tell us that she'll be a problem when she's older. I pray that isn't the case. I pray that God keeps her heart pure.

Hannah- Hannah is almost potty trained. She can be a little toot sometimes and is learning how to have her own will without running into Moe's. She loves to run around the house with any random object between her legs as a horsie. It cracks me up. She can sing her ABC's almost entirely correctly and can almost count to 20 correctly. These skills amaze me since I haven't worked with her on ANYTHING. Joshua and Leah also taught her her colors. Pretty fun watching her learn without adult instruction.

The only remotely decent pic of the group. Hannah was having a "day".

My kids are goofy!

Kid Update

I've been waiting to get some current pictures updated before I did a kid update, but..... SO, I'll do one without pictures.

Joshua- Is one smart cookie. He's reading like a crazy man. He read a level 8 reader today in about 3 hours. He amazes me. I love it! Robert came in the other night at bedtime and said he thinks Joshua has a reading problem, LOL! I told him it isn't a problem, it's an addiction. One I'm supportive of. My only problem is keeping enough stuff around for him to read. He's read the full Robin Hood and Three Musketeers twice in the last week. That's my sign I need to get some more books in the house. I love when he walks up and gives me random bits of trivia he's picked up in his reading. It's fun.

He's also started his soccer career. His Daddy has played for about 35 years, and judging by how well Joshua is doing, he might be a similar addict. He's played two games so far and scored 4 and 5 goals in each game. It helps that his team is a power house, stacked with big 6 year old boys. We'll see how that holds up when he's on a weaker team. Robert and he are enjoying the boy time together since R is coaching him. Go Blue Sharks!

Leah- is a joy. She really is at a great spot. She loves helping. Me, Hannah, Robert, whoever. She loves loves loves to work!! I see it all the time, but Robert was really impressed with her work ethic as we put in our garden, 15 trees, 4 rose bushes, a blackberry bush and mulched the flower beds. She just works and works and works her little heart out. I love to see that dedication from her at such an early age. There are many times she comes to me and asks "Moe, what can I do for you?" Does a Mom's heart good!

I think she is also teaching herself to read. Apparently, she's given up on waiting for me, lol. I kept telling her that she had to learn all of her letters and sounds before I could teach her to read, so task given, off she went. The next thing I know, she's asking me to help her spell out words in the car. She's doing really great. Hopefully, this summer I can sit down and get her launched before the baby gets here. She loves having Joshua to read to her and I think that is really helping her progress. I honestly didn't expect her to be such an early reader like her brother, but looks like she just might. I know if she decides she's going to do it, she will.

Hannah-is our adorably little Toots! Although, she isn't real fond of us calling her Toots anymore. When I do, there are times she tells me "I your Panny Poe! You call me PANNY POE!!!" It is the funniest thing ever. She'll also randomly tell anyone, "I'm Moe's Panny Poe!" Of course, they have NO IDEA what Moe is or what Panny Poe means. It fun. She is definitly a third child and has not had the early training that the other two children had, and so is a bit more of a hanful than they were. Thankfully, there are four of us to watch out for her, so it isnt too much trouble....yet.

She's a pretty smart cookie herself. She can count to 12 with no problems and sometimes can count higher. She also knows all of her colors really well. We worked on potty training, and she did great. She figured the system out and didn't have any accidents, when she wanted to, but after about a week, she said she wanted to wear diapers. I'm ok with that. She won't wear them forever. She's our little comedian and keeps all of us laughing all the time. People constantly tell us how cute she is.....and we agree. :-)

Spring is Springing

I saw the very first bluebonnets of the season today!!! Made me sooo happy and thankful to be back in Texas. March was very hard on me in Ohio. We were still trudging through snow and that was pretty lame, but worse than that was that Ohio never has bluebonnets. I would change my windows wallpaper to a field full of bluebonnets with a little indian paint brush scattered throughout but it just wasn't the same. I missed two years of adorable kiddie pics in the bluebonnets on the side of the road.....and all of the memories that go along with that. Like massive fire ant beds to avoid in the gorgeous flowers and the deadly traffic flying by on the highway while my sweet gifts from God toddle around. Ah, memories. LOL! But man those are some good pictures! I might even order special little dresses for the girls this year just because it will be Hannah's first bluebonnet pics!

Spring also reminds me of one of the funniest newlywed memories for us. We bought our first house about a year after we married, (yes remember, we were older when we married) and I had only been living in Houston for two years. Spring came around and I was thrilled to throw open the windows and air out the winter gunky air in the house. It was marvelous. Our subdivision was new and so there was very little traffic....a HUGE difference from the same subdivision today, so we left the windows open at night too. It was glorious! (the Houstonians reading this are now giggling, as you see what's coming)

Remember, I grew up in W Texas. We had some trees. Ok, we call them trees, but most people know them as mesquite bushes. The only time we had to worry about closing the windows was when a dust storm was blowing in, and you could clearly see that coming as the sky turned bright RED! Easy to spot.

Well, Houston is different! Not only do you boil in the summer, literally, but Houston has these things called PINE TREES. Lovely, evergreen things that cover the land. I like them. Except for two weeks of the year. Right at the beginning of spring, these lovely evergreen creations of God dump MASSIVE amounts of YELLOW pollen. It covers EVERYTHING!!!! And I mean E V E R Y T H I N G!!!!

Seasoned veterans know that you DO NOT open your windows during the pollen dump. Silly, newlywed wives not from Houston do not know this. And our beautiful new home, that I meticulously kept clean was COVERED in yellow. EVERYWHERE!!! I vacuumed yellow out of my carpets for years. There was nothing I could do to rid it from every area of our home. It wouldn't surprise me if the current owners still find weird spots of yellow in places no one would imagine!

So, yesterday morning I noticed a tiny little hazy dusting of yellow outside and will be dutifully keeping our windows closed for two weeks. No matter how beautiful the day is!

Picture Post

Believe or not, there are still three adorable children living here. I know, you were probably wondering about that since you never see them or hear much about them. Here's where they've been.

We took a family vacation to Port Aransas in November. We spent the day at the Texas State Aquarium.

Joshua got chosen as a helper. He fed an ant eater!

We stopped and had some yummy sea food. Note to self, need to feed my kids seafood more.

Robert got too rowdy in the restaurant, so stocks for him! That's what happens when you have a beer at lunch on a week day. LOL!

We spent the rest of the week at the hotel with other families from our church. We laid by the pool, chilled on the beach and shared cooking duties! It was FABULOUS! Oh, Robert and I kicked some tail in some bones games as well. Oh yeah. And it is now a tradition.

So I might be coming out of the fog, shhhh don't tell my husband yet ;-), just kidding he can totally tell. I had a crazy busy weekend, and thought I would be cramping and miserably tired by the time we made it home from church today, but that isn't the case. Miracle! We'll see how tomorrow feels.
Robert and I celebrated Valentine's day last night with other couples from our church. I just have to say, our church is a hoot. I just love those people. We all laughed until we cried, and I almost peed my pants. I haven't laughed like that in who knows how long, I certainly can't remember, but it was wonderful. It was at a BBQ place this year, which kind of turned some people off, but for Robert and I, it is all about the fellowship with our friends, and man was it a good time. I just love our church. The families are all real people, living real lives out loud and together, serving the Lord every way we can. Life doesn't get much better than that!

We also had some of the Tres Dias ladies in our home Saturday morning and afternoon working for the upcoming weekends. They are busy times for us, since Robert and I are both serving, but such a welcome time with the Lord as well. It will be my last weekend to serve for a few years since the baby will be here before the next weekends (YIPPEE!!!) So, this one will be lots of fun for me.

This week the temps are supposed to be in the 70's and sunny all week. Wish I felt up to a zoo trip, but I"m not there yet. But we are going to enjoy it as much as is humanly or would that be Mommyly possible!

Usually, I wouldn't post this but this is what is up in our life right now, and Daddy, I know you are waiting to hear.

More puke. Yup. Unfortunately, not just me this time. The fam got a lovely stomach bug. Thankfully, although it didn't feel like it at the time, the kids all got it at the same time. Saturday night, they all puked from 8pm to 4 am. A grand total of 28 puking events. Thankfully, after the first round, Joshua and Leah...officially the BIGS after this feat....hit their puke buckets every time. For Hannah, we just threw a paint tarp under her pack n play and changed out towels as bedding. Of course, by we, I mean Robert. I tried to help as much as possible but getting very involved would've added to his work load, so I really just helped bathe kids once he had them stripped and ready. He did all of the dirty work.

Why yes, I did marry the man of the century! We are very happily married, so back off!!!

In other news.....Monday Robert and I got the bug too. The End.

We are here. My morning sickness is kicking my tail. I'm not fully puking yet, but can't wait to get there. These weeks of 24 hour nausea is my worst part. I just can't stand no breaks to ever feel good. Once I start puking, things get better. I at least get a little relief for a short while after I puke. I'll be 8 weeks next week, and that is usually when I start actually puking, although I got really really close this morning. Through the years, I've read about every stratetgy known to man to help with morning sickness. All of it helps, kind of, sort of, on certain hours and days of the week. In the end, it is a normal and healthy response to pregnancy. Maybe God gives us morning sickness so we don't notice that we bloat up like a wart hog in the space of a few weeks....that all of that self control we showed over the holidays to stay looking and feeling good are all for naught because we've already bloated up a size and are quickly passing thru it.

Honestly, I don't do pregnancy well, at any stage, really. The third trimester is easiest for me. I finally get the energy boost that most women get from the second trimester, I'm usually still puking in the second trimester. Up until about 36ish weeks, I'm good. That is until I hit the final frontier. You know, the part where you can't do dishes anymore because you have to stand sideways at the sink and your arms can't reach the bottom of the sink any more. Up until that point, I'm good.

So, I'm due in September. I have a 4th and 13th baby already. My anniversary is the 15th. Just by looking at the calendar, it seems I should carry this baby late so I can space things out. But, that would be insanity, or a male OB that would suggest such a thing. Every female, even those who have never had babies but have only been tramautized by their pregnant friends, knows that you never Ever EVER wish for someone to go late with a pregnancy. So, I'll shoot for the end of August instead. My Dad still isn't really a Grandpa anyway!

back to your regularly scheduled lives, this pregnant womens random stream of conscience is over for the moment

Our September Streak Continues

So, we found out New Year's Eve that we will again be expecting another little blessing from the Lord in mid September 2011. For those of you that don't have my children's birthdays memorized (Daddy ;-)), this will be our third September baby. Leah is a July baby, but really, Leah needs her own birthday month. The kids are thrilled and I"m sure my cousin Les will be pulling for Sept 13th, so he AND Joshua can be a Grandpa.

What do you mean that doesn't make any sense?

Every family has "unusual" family traditions. This is one of ours....and I started it! You see, my due date just happened to be on my paternal Grandpa's birthday. He was quite proud of this fact and told everyone in the famliy, over and over that he was FINALLY going to be a Grandpa. Apparently, this was a sentiment he expressed often. SOOO, you see what's coming here, don't you? When I was born on May 9th instead, my cousin, Kelly, was thrilled that SHE was now a Grandpa. She has, in fact, been my Grandpa Kelly my whole life. We have lots of Granpda's in the family, and my cousin Les is Joshua's Grandpa, born on Sept 13th. So, if this little kicker is born on the 13th, they will in fact have ALOT of Grandpa's, including their adoring older brother, Joshua.

Another new year. I love it. A time for fresh starts and looking ahead for the possibilities. I have lots of thoughts and plans for 2011, but I'll share some of those later.

We had a good holiday season. We visited Robert's family in Louisiana, and most of them got to meet our children for the first time. It was really fun. I hope our children get to spend more time learning about that part of their heritage. It got me thinking about really getting Joshua going on French, in addition to our Latin studies, now rather than later, so he can have the opportunity to speak french with the Lachney side of the family, before that generation is gone. I just need to research language programs for his learning age and hopefully find something computer based since I know he'll excel at anything on the computer.

Robert had strep throat for Christmas, but he was kind enough not to gift it to any of the rest of us. THANK YOU JESUS! It was hard enough watching him suffer through it, I couldn't imagine watching the babies go through that. We all survived and even had some fun to boot. I'll post holiday pics later, but here is a parting shot of the girls participating in our church's live nativity. You can't say that this isn't the cutest sheep you've ever seen!



thank you to my friend Marty Callan for getting this shot for me