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!