In one Addison Township household, ‘ladies first? isn’t just an expression, it’s a way of life.
Steve and Kelly Wright have six, count’em six daughters and no sons.
But that could change today.
Kelly, 38, is pregnant and has a doctor’s appointment during which she’s expected to learn the baby’s sex.
‘It would be fun to have a boy, but it sure would make things easier if we stayed with girls,? she said. ‘It’s really easy to relate to girls because I’m a girl myself.?
Steve, 44, doesn’t have a preference.
‘I learned long ago to just be happy with whatever the Lord brings us. And so far, that’s worked out really well,? he said. ‘I think a girl might be easier only in the sense that I’ve got a lot of experience there.?
Kelly’s obstetrician has been practicing for 25 years and she said he’s never had a patient with six children, all the same sex.
‘I think the uniqueness of our situation is fun,? she said. ‘I can’t go to the store without a comment or a conversation (with other shoppers).?
The Wright children range in age from Jenna, who’s the oldest at 13, to Jolie, the youngest at just 18 months.
In between, there’s Avery, 11; Marissa, 9; Haley, 6; and Abby, 4.
So what’s it like being the only guy in a house full of women?
‘You just learn to deal with a lot of emotion,? said Steve, who works at the General Motors Technical Center in Warren as a software solution architect employed by Siemens. ‘They let you know how they feel and you try to stay steady (while handling) the ups and downs that come with that.?
The kids are divided as to their preferences for the seventh Wright child, who is due Oct. 1.
Jenna, Avery and Abby want a boy, while Marissa and Haley are rooting for another girl.
‘We’ve been having girls (for) so long, let’s just try something new,? Jenna said. ‘Let’s change it up.?
Jenna is definitely precocious and not afraid to speak her mind. When she spoke of the others, she sounded more like a parent than a sibling, especially when talking about the ‘little ones? as she called them.
‘They’re just bouncing off the walls all the time, getting into trouble, looking for trouble,? Jenna said.
Being the oldest, Jenna and Avery often help their mother when it comes to doing household chores and managing the others.
‘Sometimes it’s really hard, like when mom gets sick, but after a while, it just becomes life and you just roll with it,? Jenna said.
‘It’s not super hard,? Avery said. ‘I just kind of got used to it.
‘They all help out and chip in,? Kelly said. ‘They have a lot of responsibility, but they’re all very excited to keep having more (siblings).?
The Wright children spend a lot of time together as they’re all homeschooled on the family’s 20-acre property along Hosner Rd., which they moved to in October 2013 after spending 11 years in Oxford.
‘I’m going to be homeschooling forever,? said Kelly, who used to teach in the Romeo and Pontiac school districts.
All kidding aside, Kelly really loves homeschooling.
She explained it allows her and her husband to be the ‘main influence? in their children’s lives, something that’s not possible if ‘they’re gone for seven-and-a-half hours a day.?
It’s also allowed the girls to grow closer and build stronger relationships with each other.
‘Homeschooling really helps,? Kelly said.
Kelly noted she originally wanted three kids, but then she and her husband had the ‘crazy idea? to ‘see what God does with our family?
‘And then here we go,? she said. ‘It just kind of happened.?
With four siblings himself, Steve is no stranger to larger families, but even he admitted, ‘I never imagined having this many (kids).?
But in the end, neither Kelly nor Steve would change a thing.
‘I can’t even imagine it any other way,? she said. ‘That would be so sad. How could you take one off at this point??
‘I wouldn’t trade a single one of the relationships that I have with these girls,? said Steve, who welcomes the opportunity to build and strengthen those bonds as they grow older.
‘People, they try to warn me (about the) teenage years, and maybe I’m naive, but I look forward to it just because I love them so much,? he said.
To Steve, the most challenging part of his family is finding the strength and the energy at the end of a long day to give them all the time and attention kids naturally require.
‘It’s 8 o’clock and I would just love to plant myself on the couch and just relax,? but he said there are needs to be met and conversations to be had, so he does it.
‘They want to have dad tuck them in and tell stories,? Steve said. ‘It’s hard, but it’s always rewarding.?
Will the seventh child be the Wrights last?
‘I’m hoping that will be it,? Kelly said.
But then she added, ‘Who knows??
‘People ask me, ‘How many you going to have?? and I say, ‘I don’t know,?? Steve said. ‘I guess we’ll find out.?
Check out next week’s Leader to find out if it’s a boy or a girl.

Have you seen her cradle?
Kelly Wright is searching for a family heirloom and she needs the community’s help.
About two or three years ago, she sold a wooden cradle for $40 at a garage sale on Lakeville Rd. in Addison Township. The cradle was unique in that it was handmade by her father and Wright slept in it as a baby as did five of her six daughters.
When asked why she sold it, Wright chuckled and replied, ‘Because I’m crazy.?
‘I didn’t realize I was still going with the whole baby thing,? she said.
Wright is looking to buy it back from whoever has it.
To her, it would be the perfect ‘happy ending? to recover the cradle in time for her seventh child to slumber in it.
Anyone with information about the cradle is asked to please e-mail Wright at kscrapperw@yahoo.com.