Grandma's Arms

It was such a blessing to have my mom to help out for a week after Sepa was born. She was more busy with taking care of Kekoa and Ikaika than helping me with the baby, although she did give Sepa his first bath. But here are a couple pictures with her holding Sepa right before she had to head home.

Michele Reyes Photography

So most everyone knows I have a little photography business for babies and toddlers (michelereyes.com). I have been so excited from the time I first knew I was pregnant to take pictures of this little one. So... now, after two photo sessions totaling over 5 hours, I have decided that I have a cursing that I cannot take pictures of my own children. 90% of those 5 hours was trying to get Sepa to fall asleep or at least not be screaming. Here are a couple that I finally was able to get. Anyway, I'll keep trying....

Our Three Musketeers

It is soooo fun to have three little boys. In the past week since having Baby Sepa there have been a few crazy moments, but I wouldn't have things any different. There is a lot of work, but also a lot of fun and joy. I look forward to them growing up together and having fun together (hopefully not too much trouble together : )

Last night as we were reading our family scriptures I shared Mosiah 4:15. Kekoa always repeats the scripture as I read it part by part.

The scripture reads:
"But ye will teach them to walk
in the ways of truth and soberness;
ye will teach them to love one another,
and to serve one another."

I told the boys this scripture would be their theme scripture. That they were to love and serve each other. It was very fitting because it was the first time Iosepa joined us for that nightly routine.


It is so fun that Kekoa is old enough to understand about Baby Sepa joining our family. He has loved him from the time he was in mommy's tummy. He loved to give my belly a kiss and at least once every day he says, "Mommy, I love Baby Sepa." He enjoys holding him and this morning even offered to give him some of his Cheerios. He is a great big brother to both Ikaika and Sepa.

Coming Home

Here are a couple pictures of Baby Sepa before we came home from the hospital. I wrote in my journal that even though the hospital had unlimited apple juice with crushed ice and unlimited LornaDoone shortbread cookies, I was ready to come home. Kyle and I set up the nursery in our room a few days before and it is so much more comfortable than the small hospital room.

(dressing him in his first outfit...
those darn baby mitten things won't stay on...)



(cute smile - he's a happy little guy)

From Family of Four to Family of Five

Here are a couple pictures we took right before Kyle and I left for the hospital. We left Kekoa and Ikaika with Auntie Celeste and her friend Keisha (thank you guys for staying with them). We took our last family picture as just the four of us (and a big belly). Whenever we get our first family of five picture (which I just now realized has yet to be taken) I'll be sure to post it here as well.
There is also a sweet picture of Ikaika kissing my belly. Kekoa did as well. How's that for a big belly? Baby Sepa was ready to come!
PS. He came 8 days early...

Welcoming Baby Sepa

Our third son has arrived! We welcomed our little one on Monday, January 21, 2008 at 10:45 pm in Utah Valley hospital. He weighed 6 lbs. 13 oz. and was 19 1/2 inches. It was a full day of mild labor and then a short 3 hours in the hospital and we finally met Baby Sepa. It is so fun to have the third musketeer join our family : )
It took a little while, but before we left the hospital, we found his full name:
Iosepa Ya'aashdee' Reyes
We stayed with the same naming pattern as with Kekoa and Ikaika and gave him a Hawaiian first name and Navajo middle name.
Iosepa is the Hawaiian name for Joseph.
Ya'aashdee' is Navajo for "from heaven"
He is a sweet heart and truly a blessing from Heaven.

(10 perfect fingers and toes..... so precious)

Sunday Before Christmas

Here is a sweet picture of our two boys, the Sunday before Christmas. So cute! They are really becoming good friends. Ikaika loves to do everything that Kekoa does - he even is tempted to jump off places Kekoa does, so we have to watch him carefully. I really think that having our new baby is going to bring them even closer together. They will have each other when mommy is busy taking care of a newborn.

Beautiful Brown Eyes

So from the time I first began doing photography, I have wanted to capture my little Ikaika's eyes. When he was younger he had greenish eyes, but I think they are officially brown, but an AMAZING brown. Hopefully this picture shows just that. I decided against photoshoping out his drool because it is so like him to have drool coming down. Who knows when he will finally out grow that : )

January 13, 2008

I got some white seamless paper for my studio and decided to try it out with the cutest subjects - my boys. Here is one of my favorites of Ikaika. I was so happy he let us do this. I got a really cute one of him with no diaper, but decided against putting it up on the internet.
He is a sweetheart about to be a big brother any day now (I am almost 38 weeks) : )
-Michele

Simple things

January 11, 2008
Today for lunch we opened a new carton of juice. I took off the plastic ring piece and left it on the table. Kekoa discovered it and before we knew it, it had become a beloved "power ring." I put the letter "K" on it for Kekoa and he played faithfully with it for the rest of the day. We will see how long the magic lasts. He even found a special place in his room to hang it up. It confirms the whole idea that expensive toys hold nothing to the simple things in life combined with some good imagination : )
-Michele

Happy New Year! - January 1, 2008

I am so excited to start this blog - to have a type of journal to look back on and to share updates with friends and family. I think it will be fun and I hope I'll do a good job keeping it updated.
Here is a picture we sent out with our family Christmas letter. We took the picture by a little duck pond around the corner from our house.
It has been a wonderful holiday season and we feel so blessed. We are excited for what 2008 will bring
More to come soon.