Welcome to the world Reiter Michael

Friday July 29th was a BIG day! After trying the last few weeks to naturally induce labor so as to have Reiter in July nothing seemed to be working, I was discouraged! We had an appointment on Thursday with our midwife where she said I was 4cms dilated still but Rei had dropped a significant amount (GREAT NEWS). She stripped my membranes again in a last effort to naturally induce labor, and we made a final plan to come to Vanderbilt Saturday morning for the induction.
Well PRAISE the LORD no induction was necessary! I cramped on and off from the appointment and on through the night. We took the girls to my in laws house, had dinner, my brother and his lovely wife came in to join in celebrating Reiters birthday with us! We stayed up late with them and by the time we went to bed (around 12) I was definitely having some contractions but was not willing to believe they were legit. I was able to go to sleep and slept on and off until about 430. I finally woke up for good and knew I was having some good contractions although they were still 10 or so minutes apart. At about 530 I jumped in the shower and continued to contract. By 630 my contractions were about 3 to 5 minutes apart and gaining in strength so I called my midwife and she suggested we come on in!
We got to the hospital at 730 and I was 5cms and contracting regularly. After they got us settled in we took a long walk (we being my mother in law, Kevin and my sis in law Lauren...my brother even joined us for a couple laps)... I felt very supported and confident and was really in a good mood between contractions able to laugh and joke with everyone. They had planned to wait 2 hours to check me again but the contractions picked up significantly so they checked me around 930 I was 7cms. I tried to stand in the shower through some contractions and the pressure of Rei moving down got so intense I felt like I was literally going to have to sit on the shower floor so back to the bed we went!
This is where time goes blank for me. I have to say this birthing experience was neat, my contractions tho incredibly strong were always a solid 3 minutes apart and I was really able to breath between them. They had to try some different positions to get Rei to drop and I quickly got to 9cms and was in transition, this was when I really doubted myself and really needed to hear reassurance from Kevin, (who let me say is amazing!He said everything I needed to hear!), my sister in law was also a huge support as her and Kevin shared in encouraging me, my midwife and a student were there the last couple hours and were great at saying all the right things and helping to position me in ways that really sped labor up. My mother in law was also there cheering and supporting, it was the perfect setting to welcome our son into!
My midwife broke my water at 9cms when Rei wasn't seeming to drop despite me feeling an intense urge to push, breaking my water didn't bring me to complete either so she finally had to push the last part of my cervix over his head (LET ME SAY PAINFUL) as soon as she did that I pushed 3 times and out he came at 1124 am (yes 4 hours after getting to the hospital! Gorgeous big boy 8lbs 8 oz 19 and 3/4 inches with a full head of dark hair. I could not be more in love.
I had a few minor complications after including some clotting that was quickly brought under control and a tear that was hard to repair but am doing well now. Reiter is nursing like a champ and is so sweet, his sisters are totally infatuated with him and Kev and I are looking forward to having all our babies home tomorrow! We are praising God for the health of our son and rejoicing in his birth! We know how richly blessed we are to have 3 beautiful children and so many people surrounding us who love us and our children!

happy birthday Nana

this is over a week late but wanted to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Nana Yates! Thank you for all you do for Kevin and I and our children! We could not be more blessed then to have you in our lives! We love you!

little girls...

Little girls are just magical. They have imaginations like you could never imagine. One minute Averi is the teacher and I am to sit on the floor while She reads Sofie and I a new book...


the next minute I am to sit at the ottoman in the living room while Averi and Sofie dress in their aprons and cook a full meal, including cookies, eggs, and chocolate milk! The meal also included 2 special guest barbie dolls who joined us!



They also love to color, love to help cook, love to help clean, love their baby dolls with such passion, love to paint nails, and love to cuddle!

new rooms...

Decorating is something I love, I dont know that I am particularly GREAT at it but I certainly enjoy it! I do not however like to spend a lot of money on things, so I spend a lot of time on craigslist, at hobby lobby and making my own things! It takes a while for me to get a room just right but it is worth it if I am getting good deals!

Here is Reis room... the dresser was mine we just painted it, my Dad built the armoire for Averi when she was born, the crib was a clearance buy at walmart, I made the painting over his armoire and ALL THE BEDDING (including quilt, bumper,sheet, trash can, valence, bed skirt, pictures ect) was a craigslist buy for 70 bucks (woohoo) and the rocking chair was a gift from Kevs parents when we were expecting Averi. Kev and some buddies painted while I was out of town with the girls for the weekend, I just adore how it turned out!





Here are some pics of the girls room...
Some family members gave us a new mattress and box for Averi, we bought her head board at a scratch and dent place and thanks to help from my in laws we refinished it, the shelf was a gift, all the bedding including curtains was an ebay find for 50 bucks and all the wall hangings are 1/2 price hobby lobby finds! Once again Kev and friends painted it, I am in love!

change of heart...

God has done a lot on my heart the last few days, I have prayed and prayed that I would fully rely on him for Reiters arrival whatever that meant. As much as I still do not want an induction I have come to the point where I am not so scared/nervous of it. SO many people have sent us sweet stories and encouragements of inductions that were still successful "natural" deliveries. I know that an induction will make some things more difficult but there are benefits as far as planning and preparation go, I think a planned delivery will be easier for the girls and for that I am thankful! I am still hopeful labor will come on his own this week but either way we get to meet him in 4 days or less and for that I am So thankful and happy! Please continue to pray for us!

Reiter the stubborn baby boy

Well I don't know if Reiter is really that stubborn or I'm just impatient or if it is just a combination but there has been some serious frustrations the last few days! After going home from work last weekend sure labor was beginning we have been sitting here playing the waiting game, my body seems in no hurry to evict this boy and he seems totally content to hang out in-utero for the long haul!
I had an appointment yesterday with my AMAZING midwife Lauren, she said I am now four centimeters dilated (woohoo) so apparently the false alarm over the weekend did do some good since last week I was dilated to a 3. Rei seems healthy and strong which is always great to hear, but His head is not engaged which means he has not "dropped".
My midwife kindly scheduled my induction for next Friday morning at 9 am, after she stripped my membranes again (which hasn't done any good yet since today I am still very pregnant) I will go back for a check on Thursday and she will make one more effort to strip my membranes. PLEASE join us in praying for a few things concerning this little boy. 1. That he would come in the next week on his own. 2. if he doesn't that he will drop and his head will be engaged so that if we do indeed have to have an induction they will be able to break my water and I will not have to have a pitocin induction. The fear with breaking your water if babies head is not engaged is a prolapsed cord, meaning the cord could slip out which is VERY dangerous. My number one reason for having them break my water vs pitocin was to keep his birth as natural as possible and so that I would have more freedom to move around, use the tub for pain control ect...these things aren't options with pitocin. 3. That no matter how Reiter enters the world that he would enter it healthy and strong. 4. for my anxieties... I'm incredibly worn out just from worrying about his birth. Please pray that I would be constantly reminded that he is Gods child not mine and God is in control of his birth.
We are thrilled that the end is in sight, one more week (at the most) and we get to meet our 1st son!

39 weeks...

So at nearly 39 weeks pregnant I am officially miserable! It is so hot I can not cool off, I can barely pull any of my shirts over my enormous belly and I cant sleep! All is worth it tho when I feel this little guy kick or hear his precious heart beat! I am so very anxious about his delivery as we are getting close to his official induction date (the 29th)... I REALLY don't want an induction but the closer we get to the 29th the more it looks like that will be what happens.
I am praying what feels like constantly that God will calm my anxieties and that I will lean on him fully and trust him with both Reiters birth and birthday! Kevin has been so supportive and patient with me, he knows how badly I do not want to be induced and is so helpful in calming my anxieties, he is amazing and I am blessed! We have asked his mom to be in the delivery room this time and I am so excited to share the experience of our 1st sons birth with her...she is a calm and gentle supporter to both Kevin and I and I am so happy she will be in the room for Rei's birthday! I have an appointment with my midwife tomorrow and after a week with a couple false alarms I am anxious to see if I have made any significant changes in the last week, plus tomorrow is the 21st and both girls were born on 21sts so it would be really cool to have Rei on the 21st as well!Please pray for us here, and mostly pray for Rei that he will be born strong and healthy, we are all excited to hold and love on him!

baby update...

Had a GREAT check up with my midwife this morning! I am 3cms dialated and 50 %effaced, he is much lower then last week, which means he is heading in the right direction! She stripped my membranes which is what put me into labor with Sofie (i was 3cms when they did it with her too) it may or may not work, if it doesnt work I will go back next thursday and she will strip them again. I am scheduled for an induction on the 29th either way. Please pray it doesnt come to that I really want to go into labor on my own! If it does come to an induction she discussed a few options one being cytotec but she felt their was far more succes in that if you arent dialated at all, one is pitocin (this would be my last choice) and the last option would be to just break my water and see what happens... I would prefer to just have my water broken so I can still have freedom to walk and use the tub for pain control but my midwife would prefer me to be 4cms dialated if she breaks my water...please continue to pray this boy comes on his own and that if he doesnt we will trust our midwife in guiding us to the best decision! Cant wait to meet our son!

daddy-daughter date

Kev is GREAT about taking the girls a long with him when he has to run an errand so they can get some one on one time! He adores them both but since Averi has gotten a little older they have really bonded!He has taken Averi out a few times to get a doughnut or ice cream but they have never had an "official" date... so last night Averi went on her very first date, with her daddy!
We made a BIG deal out of it for several days. And yesterday I let her pick out her own dress, we did mani-pedis, she chose to wear her sparkle shoes, and her white headband (versus her bow), she told me she needed to take a bath and get all clean for her date so I let her take a long bubble bath all by herself while Sofie was napping, and finally I curled all her hair... with purse in hand she was ready to go looking extra sweet holding her daddys hand!
Kevin took her to see Cars 2, which was the 1st time she had ever been to the movie. Averi told me she ate M & Ms, popcorn and red drink... they had a few bathroom breaks during the movie and Kev said she got a little wiggly sitting still that long but over all she did great! They both had a blast, Averi has been telling sofie and I about "watching the cars on the big TV" all day!

a box

When you are 3 and 1 a box can be so many amazing things...
yesterday this large box became a bus,of which I was the driver... a tent in which my daughters hid and I was the "big bad wolf" (according to Averi) and I had to come blow it down, a baby bed in which we rocked and sang and put about ten babies to bed in it, and an air plane- this time Sofie and I were flying and Averi was the pilot... oh how I love this age so full of imagination and how I love sitting on the floor and playing their silly games I wish time would freeze some times and we could stay in this little world of baby dolls, magical boxes and lots of giggles forever!

the waiting game...

my dear friend Kim and I have had the opportunity to go through this pregnancy side by side, I have been blessed to have her encouragement the last 9 months,her friendship is precious to me and has certainly made the adjustment to TN easier... she will never understand what a God send she is in my life! She was due a full 2 weeks before me so I've known all along that her precious girl would probably make her appearance before Reiter, but I wont lie going to see her and her new beautiful daughter Piper this week made me pretty anxious to meet my son!
First let me say, Piper is precious! She is healthy and beautiful and you can tell already how spoiled and adored she is by her parents Kim and Dave and her 3 older siblings! PRAISE THE LORD the giver of new life for this precious gift he has granted the Hall family! Holding that precious girl makes my hormones go wild tho, there is just the pure joy you feel when holding a perfect sleeping infant, the adoration you feel towards God for making such a beautiful life, the happiness you feel for your friend and then there is the awful hormonal I don't want to act this way but I can't help it side who wants to cry because you are so tired and ready for your baby to come on out and join the fun!
I hate that side, and I've been dealing with her for a week or so now, and I really really don't like her. I don't like being discontent in the spot God has placed me, especially when he gave me the GIFT to carry my son to term... so today, after a rough couple of nights I am vowing to have a good attitude, to enjoy my daughters to their fullest until things go CRAZY when we add a newborn to the mix! I am bound and determined to enjoy Reiters kicks and wiggles until I can see him wiggle and kick on the outside, it is only a few more weeks anyways and he will be here, I want to be joyful and happy these last few weeks!

So here's to 37 weeks of pregnancy bliss you all!

Reiter update...

Not much to tell we are in our 36th week of pregnancy, Reiter is growing big and strong!I am 1.5cms dialated 30%effaced and he is head down but super high! We are hopeful he will come one his own this month and if not we will consider an induction on July 29th!

4th of July

We celebrated the 4th at Kevins family farm with all his family! The kids played hard, they swam, they rode the gator and played outside they were wore out every night! They had so much fun and so did we! They didn't love the fireworks though, Sofie fell asleep on me and Kevin and Averi ended up watching the fireworks inside the truck because she was scared of the noise! Over all it was a GREAT weekend!

Our Anniversary

Kevin and I celebrated our 4 year anniversary June 23rd. It never ceases to amaze me how richly God has blessed our 4 years together. 4 years and soon to be 3 babies! Kevin is he the most amazing man, he loves me so much and makes it known day after day, he loves our children, he supports us, he cares for us, he loves the Lord and leads our family and challenges me and my own walk with the Lord daily! He is funny and sweet...he is my best friend! We praise God for gifting us each other, we love each other more now then we did the day we married! We have faced so many ups and downs and have come out stronger as a couple, we owe that to Gods faithfulness!

Life has finally slowed down for the Yates family (just in time to add another baby to the mix) I am working one day a week now, Kev is done with school and we are eating up family time! We have started spending our tuesday nights eating dollar scoop Baskin Robins...yum! Sofie has even taken up feeding herself the ice cream,she is miss independant!

BOWLING

My friend Kim and I took our kiddos to the bowling alley a couple weeks ago for dollar bowling! Averi was so into it and had a total blast! And they bowled, ate pizza, drank fruit punch and played all for a dollar!!!! I love a cheap fun day! It is so incredibly fun to watch Averi interact with her friends these days she talks up a storm with them, they laugh and then she talks about it for days after, it is so fun!