I'm not sure I'm going to keep up with this blogging thing. I LOVE reading everyone's updates; I just don't have any idea how they find time to actually write them. Lets see if I can get a quick update on everyone in before I fall asleep.

Brooke is off to a great start in high school (at home). I got a little too crafty and created a wall schedule with one of those things with pockets at the teacher store. I LOVE it. Brooke LOVES it. It has changed our life. I have to say the wall schedule and paying someone else to teach her algebra has made both of us very happy people. Thank you Knowledge Tree! Thank you Mrs. Rebekah! She is also playing volleyball with the Flames. We love playing with the Flames. The coaches are fabulous. The other kids are great. The parents are people I actually look forward to talking with at practices and games. No pictures of Brooke...so sorry...maybe when I update again in 6 months. We just got back from a tournament in Kansas City but the pics are still on the camera.

Noah has really started talking tons (if he likes you and feels like it). In fact, he passed his last speech evaluation which might be bad news because we want him to continue to receive speech weekly. The specialists at ACH want Noah in speech therapy until he is in 2nd or 3rd grade because his diagnosis puts him at risk in that area. Speaking of ACH, he has three appointment there the week of September 21st. Doesn't this seem a little over the top given the other 4 therapy appointments that week? Noah is a very busy boy. Oh, he is peepeeing in the potty. And, I am so thrilled for him. We are still working on that other part.

This is what children who do not eat their food do at dinner for those of you who always wanted to know:


Elijah is, well, officially the middle boy and doesn't have much going on (that I've noticed, anyway). Here is a picture of him at his 2nd birthday party.


This is Elijah and his girlfriend, Kailyn.


Him and Kailyn again. They really do seem to love each other.


Isaiah is eating well and sleeping through the night. He is beginning to interact with the bigger boys, and it is so cute.

I am doing as well as can be expected for the homeschooling mother of a high schooler with three children three and under. Most days things are challenging, and I feel up for the challenge thanks to Jesus. I mean, I didn't ever really think this was going to be easy. Some days are challenging, and I just want to watch All My Children and take a nap. Well, I'm really over All My Children, but I'm not completely over the nap. It is funny the lessons you learn being a mother. My life is not about me--I am reminded of this more than daily. I'd prefer to be reminded a little less, I think. Sometimes I want to stomp my feet and demand my rights which makes me have to think about what those rights are...hmmmmmmmm. This is a picture of a couple of my greatest friends:

I am posting it here in an effort to remember what they look like. Gone are the care free days when we hung out in the living room watching our babies roll around. There are so many of us now it is almost unrealistic to all be at the same place at the same time. McDonalds doesn't exactly accept reservations. We have actually been asked out in public if these are all our kids or if we were a daycare group.

 

So much has happened since my last post I'm not sure where to start:

I am thankfully no longer pregnant.  I had an ultrasound with my 38 week appointment because I was measuring ahead during the whole pregnancy and my last baby was 9 pounds 15 ounces.  The ultrasound tech thought the baby was about 9 pounds 2 ounces...give or take a pound.  Our doctor reluctantly agreed to induce the next day due to the baby's big size and my small size.  He has never said so exactly, but I'm not so sure he thinks I can deliver a baby much bigger than the last one.  I'll spare you all the details about my failed attempt at a pain-free delivery.  I got a spinal block which they thought should last at least 4 hours and an epi cath in case I took longer than 4 hours to deliver and the spinal block wore off.  This whole set up, of course, is totally a product of the fact that I got to the hospital for an induction so I was in no pain and able to speak.  I had multiple discussions about the outcomes of my other epiderals.  The spinal block worked great.  I had hope in medicine again.  Then a very sad thing happened after an hour and a half...I started to be able to feel my toes.  It was all down hill after that!

Sorry about the naked baby shot, but this picture of the scale reading 10 pounds and 1.6 ounces is a must:

As with all my baby boy births, we had a little drama.  His heart rate quit changing with the contractions about the time I headed into transition (with the spinal block long gone) and got ready to start pushing.  Unfortunately, I know this situation is bad because of the experience of mothers who have gone before me.  Our doctor was in a real hurry to deliver this baby.  The culprit of the drama turned out to be a knot in his cord.  You should turn your head now if you don't want to see the picture.  I couldn't resist posting it.

Noah had an appointment last week at the Dennis Developmental Center to determine if he could be autistic.  Happily, the doctor decided he was not autistic.  She did, however, order more testing on my little guy.  He had a MRI done Monday.  They are making sure his head has room for 3 year old sized brains and confirming that Noah's birthing drama did not lead to any brain damage.  We do not have any results from that scan yet.  We are also doing some genetic testing and a hearing test all at ACH.  After an 8 week cold which turned into an awful sinnus infection, Noah is making tons of progress with his speech.  His daddy and I are proud of him and continue to believe his issues are just delays which will be resolved with therapy and age.

Elijah is officially the middle kid, and he doesn't have much going on.  He is almost 2 years old so he is testing all the limits.  He is definitely the discipline problem in the house right now...not that the others are perfect or anything.

Brooke is done with volleyball until the regular school season.  We're just finishing up school and preparing for her busy summer.

Oh, I almost forgot...the baby's name is Isaiah Paul.  Isaiah is in keeping with our Old Testament tradition (Noah, Elijah), and Paul is in honor of his grandfather (Jimmy's dad).  Jimmy's dad is James Paul.  The BIG bundle was born on his birthday.  Grandpa Jim or PaPa is a great guy.  Jimmy and I are thrilled for Isaiah Paul and the other boys to have such a super male role model so involved in their lives.  So many boys today do not have such a blessing in their lives, and I think that is very unfortunate.  Our boys are very lucky kids!

I really should update more.  I am just too sleepy.  It is really a sad situation because this second trimester is suppose to be my energetic phase.  It takes about all I have to teach algebra, play with the boys, and prepare 3 meals a day.  We are having a boy.  He was measuring a little ahead of himself at the ultrasound, and I've been measuring a little ahead of myself at just about every appointment.  This doesn't give me any hope that I might have the baby early...I don't do that.  It does, however, give the doctor hope that I might birth the biggest baby known to man (or at least myself).  The doctor is talking about a 38 week ultrasound to more accurately determine the baby's size.  I am excited about the ultrasound.  I've never had one that late.  I am not excited about the decisions that are sure to follow it.  If they think the baby is big, they will give me the option (or the encouragement) to induce.  I don't really want to induce.  I don't really want to birth a 12 pound baby.  There doesn't seem to be any middle ground.

We are almost all moved into the new house.  We still have truck loads of stuff in my in-laws basement.  There are a few finishing touches that need to be complete before we finish a few things so I am leaving it over there so I do not have to look at it all in my garage.  We can park one car in the garage.  I think this is good.  My goal for the second car is Christmas...definitely before the baby comes.

The short list of boy names: Isaiah, Jonah.  I think we currently prefer Jonah.  Two names.  That was a little shorter than I was anticipating (I checked with my husband while writing those two names down).  There are others I like.  There are others he likes (like Samuel, Joshua, and Benjamin).  There doesn't seem to be any others we both like.  His list reminds me of a funny conversation Jimmy and I have had during the last two pregnancies.  Some of you post conversations with your children.  Not me.  I have Jimmy. 

Jimmy: "What about Benjamin?"

Me: "Honey, those HappyHollaways have already used that name.  And, we can't name any more children after a Hollaway.  It is just embarrassing."

Jimmy: "They don't have a Benjamin!"

Hopefully, you have figured out how the conversation ends.

Elijah at the water park downtown.

Brooke hanging out with us and all the babies.

 

This is my most recent picture of the house, but it looks way different now.  Since this picture was taken, we've added shingles, sheet rock, brick, kitchen cabinets, and bunches of other things.  I'm sure we can move in any minute now!

Natasha and Evynn

This is my MOST favorite picture of the summer.  Natasha's sweet 4 year old son, Bowden, is dressed up in his sister's 6-12 month chicken costume.  It doesn't get any better than this!

Jimmy is off in Kansas City with Brooke at a volleyball tournament.  The tournament didn't start until this afternoon so Jimmy slept until 11 am this morning.  (Noah woke up at 5:30 am.)  It sounds like everyone is having a good time, and Brooke is playing well.

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