meet Reiter...

the weather outside is frightful...

Last week was marvelous, i had a 7day stretch off from work and the weather was GORGEOUS! I said to heck with house work and me and the beautiful duo spent every day outside, including two extra long play dates at the park! I didnt take as many pictures as I had planned but here are a few of them playing in the yard with their cousin Addison!





Sadly all our outside fun has come to an abrupt end and now it is cold, it is rainy and it is just YUCKY outside! So once again we are waiting it out indoors for spring...

the big sisters...

Can someone tell me how to freeze time, just for a little bit... because this nearly one and a half and nearly 3 stage is a BLAST!

the hip...

Avs new pose is the hand on the hip... she talks with it there, she poses for pictures with it there and on the occasion she cocks an attitude the hand is ofcourse on the hip! 3 is gonna be a fun year!

22 weeks...

So I think I am already a bit intimidated with having a son! BECAUSE this boy is WILD... he is so much more active then his siters were and his sisters were not particularly inactive! We are only 22 weeks so he isnt particularly huge yet Kevin has already felt some pretty intense flips and flops... he never stops. On a normal day when I am awake I feel him all day and he even wakes me at night, on a day I work night shift I feel him all night and then he wakes me during the day... he is a crazy man! We were playing with the ultrasound machine (one of the benefits to working at a hospital) at work and the nurse could even feel him move! He is our wild man, and I so enjoy his kicks and flips because it gives me peace of mind that he is in there growing like he is supposed too...so here is to a healthy little boy and hopefully another healthy 18 weeks of growth for him!

21 weeks and counting...

this little boy is WILD! He is flipping and flopping and doing all sorts of crazy things!I am so totaly in love with him already and cant wait to see his handsome face!

Aqurium...

We took Averi, Addison and Sofie to the aqurium today! It was a great day with a ton of family time that was much needed! Addison said his favorite was the sharks, as was Kevins! Averi was dieing to see the octopus and then decided it was way too scary to even look at! And I was thoroughly entertained by the otter! Sofie didnt even care about the animals she was just so content to walk a long Averi and Addison or ride in her stroller she hardly stopped to look at anything (although she waived and blew kisses at the penguins!)...it was a GREAT day!

the results are in...BOY! Reiter Michael Yates

We had the big ultrasound Wednesday at 315pm... Kevin, me, Averi, Sofie and Nana Yates all piled into the ultrasound room! The ultrasound Tech was so kind, we all took a guess before she began at what we thought baby Yates number 3 would be, Kev said "girl" Averi said "baby girl" and Nana said "girl"... I said " ill go with "boy". Every time I thought of this baby growing and moving inside my womb I thought of it as a boy... so many people wanted us to experience a son though so I wondered if I only thought that it was a boy because people kept asking if we wanted a boy!
In reality neither Kevin or I cared if it was a boy or girl... our greatest prayer was for a healthy baby! So when the ultrasound tech said "moms right, it is a boy!!!!" it was just icing on the cake! None of us could believe we were having a son after two daughters, we love love love love having daughters and a 3rd daughter would be a joy but we cant hide our excitement to experience a son! We are in a state of baby boy ecstasy! After a little shopping having a son, having Reiter has begun to sink in!
His name is Reiter Michael (pronounced Ryder)... We know it will be pronounced wrong probably his entire life. But this boys name has so much meaning to us! My very best friends last name is Reiter, we have grown up side by side. She has been a constant in my life, and I couldn't ask for better! She adores my daughters and they adore her. She has the most kind and gentle heart... she is always willing to lend a hand and always offers her support and honest opinion. She is a hard worker and devoted to her family and friends. She can be brutally honest but only when the time calls her to be... and she is funny! She loves the Lord and desires strongly to walk with him and serve him , she knows what she believes and why and is not intimidated to admit it. She has so many traits we want to see in our son... I want him to have her loyalty, I want him to work hard and achieve much, I want him to love the Lord and I want his heart to have compassion and show kindness and I know he will always make me smile...like his Aunt LALA!
Really We want Reiter to exhibit so may traits Lindsay's whole family does. I have considered it a privilege to watch her parents devotion and love for each other. Lindsay's mom is very much a second mom to me and Granny to my girls. i admire her love for her children and her husband and look up to her a great deal. I have deep respect for Lindsay's Dad and how much he cares for his family, I love listening to Linz talk of what a great dad he is, how hard he has always worked yet how he has always made a pointed effort to spend quality time with them,I hope some day Reiter is that kind of father, I hope some day Reiter finds a wife who loves him like Lindsay's mom does her dad. Lindsay's family as a whole... Mark, Roberta, Linz and Matthew have played a huge role in my life, they have inspired and helped mold me to be a better mom, wife and women then I thought I could be. There greatest trait is their love for our Lord and their desire to see his name praised and their desire to serve him by serving those around him, My greatest prayer is Reiter will know the Lord at an early age, and that he will desire-as their name sake- to also be a servant of the Lord!
Michael is Kevin's dads middle name (although he goes by Mike) and Kevin's middle name! Kevin admires his dad so much. He admires his love for his family and his strong work ethic, Kevin has inherited those traits from his daddy and I pray Reiter inherits these traits from them both, as well as so many other traits from both his Papa and his daddy. They are both kind hearted and have never met a stranger, I hope Reiter is this way! Kevin is so in love with the Lord and sharing the gospel, I hope Reiter is this way. Kevins dad was the 1st person in Kevins family to hug me, he has always made me feel so welcome, I hope Reiter has this gift! We are so blessed to have such strong people in our life to name our son after.
We love you reiter family,we love you Papa Yates, we love you Reiter Michael!

19 weeks and counting...

Wednesdays the big day...will baby yates number 3 be a boy or girl!!! Can not wait to find out and catch a peak of this sweet little blessing growing within me!!!!

LALA visits...

I can not say how hard it is to not see my very best friend on a consistant basis, it is HARD... but I am so blessed that despite distance we have mantained an incredible friendship! We can still finish each others sentance, we still talk almost daily, when we are together it is as if we havent been apart at all and my kiddos are OBSESSED with their Aunt LaLa, we are one blessed family to have her in our lives!
We were especially blessed with a quick visit from her last weekend! We took the girls to the zoo, ate some delicious O charlies, watched a great movie, ate WAY TOO MUCH sweet Cici's, stayed up too late, and went to church Sunday morning! It was a quick visit but so much fun! WE LOVE YOU AUNT LALA!