Snow Storm (Feb 2010)

Back in Feb we had another snow storm - so we tried to have lots of fun inside. Shortie played dress up, Ez ran in circles around the house until he got pooped out and then he cuddled with Conrad. Bubba decided to pretend to fish in the living room. Always fun times at the the Schroeder home

Party Party! (Jan 30, 2010)

Shortie had a great Birthday Party! There was a big snow storm that day and we weren't sure how many would make the drive - but it was a great turn out! Her party was Princess and The Frog theme, with tons of New Orleans style food. I had a blast making jambalaya, Cajun chicken, spinach stuffing balls, red beans and rice, ...and so on... There were about 25 adults, and even more kiddos! Very fun! Its still hard to believe that our little girl is FIVE!!!

Skype Party (Jan 27, 2010)

For Shortie's Birthday we had a skype party with Gaw, Papa, Auntie RahRah, and Great Grandma. It was a very special and unique birthday party!

Shortie's Birthday (Jan 27, 2010)

For Shortie's Birthday she asked for "lobster, crab, and sushi" for dinner! She is her Daddy's Girl! So Jon took her and Bubba out to dinner on her birthday (something special for her while I stayed home with the little men) They loved their dinner!

Earlier in the day Conrad was making great faces while out and about. Little Ezekiel stole my coffee! I thought I brought it in from the car but couldn't find it anywhere -- surprise he was under the table sipping what little was left!

On her birthday she got to open her presents from all of us. Bubba was a great helper! It was her first birthday that she actually grasped what was going on... it was a joy to watch!

Pneumonia

Its been a hard two weeks with illness. Bubba and Shortie had been sick with a terrible cough but turned into nothing more. Then last weekend EZ started getting sick. Sunday after the super bowl something just didn't sit right with Jon and I - in the morning we took EZ to urgent care and found out he was in the early stages of bacterial pneumonia. Because he had never been on antibiotics, and because he eats an organic diet (no biotics in those foods) they felt the medicines would work without hospitalizing. The this morning Conrad was sick... by the time Jon got home Conrad was showing signs of breathing difficulites, then quickly showed more difficulities.Jon  took him to the ER - after lots of testing they found viral pneumonia. They are letting him come home but with lots of prescriptions and a breathing thingee.

Boys Bath

Our Big Boys taking a bath. They are fish (Shortie too) they will stay in that bath long past the water going cold, and all night if I let them. I cant believe how big they are getting!

Big Sister

Shortie is such a great big sister. She loves all her brothers so much! Conrad was laughing while she held him. I loved it!

Painting

Finally got the art studio set up enough that the kids can paint and do some arts.n.crafts. Its really fun to watch them paint, and equally fun to hear the stories behind the paintings.

This is a painting that Shortie did yesterday. Its "her family, with Daddy holding Conrad. A happy sun and lots of colorful clouds with polka dots"

Shortie was painting flowers (the colors upclose were really pretty!) and then she didn't want to stop so she painted a "T" and then... I'm not exactly sure what all she painted but it ended up with I think she said four flowers and a lot of other stuff (and that mark on the middle of her forehead is a temp. tattoo... not sure why she put it there, but who am I to judge ;o)

 

Bubba painting his (he went to get more paint on his brush when he realized I was going to take a picture so he jumped up real fast and started painting from the side) He was so proud to be painting. He at one point said he was painting a waterfall.

Conrad & his Shortie faces

Conrad makes great faces just like Shortie did as a baby.

Picture Time

The Kiddos and Mommy.

Shortie was holding Conrad and then asked for me to take their picture. Then Bubba wanted in on the action, and then EZ.

three kiddos

This was a day full of silly silly kiddos.

Conrad Elliott

 Conrad Elliott

Our new little addition was born October 27th
 at 6:02pm
 weighing 7lbs 4oz.

We had choosen to do a home birth which ended up being great timing- the local hospitals had adopted a new policy due to the swine flu that no children under 18 could enter the hopsital unless being admitted, so the kiddos would not have been able to visit me or meet Conrad - that would have been so sad.

It was a Tuesday morning and when I woke up I told Jon that I didn't think he should go to work because I felt like it was going to happen that day. We went to the midwife appt I already had set up and she too thought it would happen sometime that day. 

My parents flight was arriving just after three (they had this trip planned for months - what great timing) Just about that time the contractions started (which I had been having on and off for a good month). When the second one come ten minutes later we thought maybe it was happening. Then the next one came five minutes later...then two minutes...then constant... it was happening and fast! My parents called  and they were getting a rental car and driving down from the airport. The rental clerk gave them wrong directions and their 30 minute drive turned into a two hour one.

They made it just in time. Shortly after they arrived I started pushing and in less than ten minutes little Conrad Elliott was born!

It was pretty special for all of us, because my parent had been at all the births of the other kiddos (and Sarah too - however this time she was missed). All the kiddos were so excited to see him right after he was born - it was very heart warming. My Mom and Dad announced the "It's a Boy!" and my Dad cut the cord.

Instantly we thought he looked just like Shortie as a baby. It was also evident that he would have blue eyes too (Shortie's are blue, Bubs are hazel green, and EZ's are brown). We also noticed how long his toes and finges were!

We loved being home! If you can handle the pain or want a natural birth - a home birth is SO much better. It really was awesome to be in the comfort of our home.

So  - for my number thing... his name Conrad Elliott fits right in with the other kiddos names - all being 13 letters. Plus his Birthday fits the numbers too:

Shortie  01-27-05

Bubba   06-22-06

EZ        06-22-08

Conrad  10-27-09

if you add the month and day together as individual numbers they all equal 10... but really the cool thing is having two born on 6-22, and then Shortie and Conrad have 01-27 and 10-27 :o) and none of the births were induced --- Just God's timing

New Computer!!!

Yippy- we bought a new computer (laptop actually) and can finally update our blog and start posting pictures and videos! So exciting! Hard to believe we haven't posted since Sept! We have lots of catching up to do

This and That

Over the last week we had Sarah fly in, then Jenn was here for the weekend from LA, then Ray flew in and surprised Sarah. Jenn flew home last night, Ray goes back to Dallas on Thursday, and Sarah goes back to Austin on Saturday. We aren't going to know what to do without someone visiting :o) My parents will be back out in October for the new little one.

I'm starting to think that there may be a possibility that this little baby could be a girl. Everyone says I'm carrying a basketball which means a boy, but thats what I did with Shortie up until the end and we all know that she wasn't a he. So far I've gained just under 20 pounds, but --- I can start to feel the weight in my face and for breakfast this morning I ate enough for the whole family :o) only time will tell (we are so excited to meet this little one... and to have a new baby for the fall/winter all bundled up... so exciting!)

Jon and I love having a house that we can open for family and friends, and can't wait to have everyone meet the new addition to our family....

Almost time

So although our computer is working better we can't get it to read our memory card for pictures -- hopefully we can figure this out and post some (especially since Auntie RahRah is visiting now!)

Today I had an appointment with our midwife, Peggy. My belly is measuring 33 weeks - shocking because usually my belly measures small - which means 3 weeks to go and we are clear for labor :o) Shortie was born at 34 weeks and both boys at 37 weeks --- wow - we were thinking the end of October - but we might have been wrong. We will see. (the full moon is Oct. 4th - so probably the week after that)

We have made the decision to do a home birth. Yup, we have joined that "weird" group of parents that do that sort of thing. We are really excited about this - and look forward to all the perks of a home birth. So exciting!!!!

I'll be going to the midwife every week just because of going into labor early and because of how quick my labors are. So next Thursday we'll see what the status is :o)

The kiddos are excited for a new little one - they already have nicknames picked out!