She's Here!

Our little Samantha has arrived! We're in love to say the least.

Hers was a different birth experience than Ellie or Meg for many reasons, including that I'm in another country, I did not have to be induced (Praise God!), and I delivered in a birthing center without that lovely epidural :)

Hers was a similar birth experience to Ellie & Meg in that I'm still just pinching myself over the wonder and amazement of new life. I cry often with deep gratitude (mingled with new baby exhaustion and hormones :) for this sweet gift.

Just can't stop kissing her.

Having a photographer for a neighbor is really coming in handy!

There's lots of other things I (think) I want to say about her birth, but I thought this time I'd leave off with what - in retrospect - is a hilarious blog post I started right before I knew I was in labor (I guess the hiking worked!?!?!):

PAST DUE DATE RAMBLINGS

My due date was on Tuesday. Today is Saturday. Here are some of my Past Due Date Ramblings:

~ Some things I've tried to encourage Baby Sister to come: Tuesday I cooked Tacos and we had friends over, Wednesday did lots of cleaning, Thursday took the girls to the doctor and walked home, Friday did lots of laundry and ate some delicious & spicy chicken curry, Today we hiked all over massive park grounds near by... Tomorrow we are having an awesome street party at church and I'm telling you I will BE on that bouncy castle with my children! :)

~ I know I've successfully birthed 2 beautiful girls, but I feel like a COMPLETE first-timer with this one! I'm on this crazy cycle of googling and timing every twinge of pain I feel, deciding it's nothing, reminding myself that I MUST know when it's TIME... right?? ...

And then it was dinner time, but I couldn't really eat because my insides started screaming at me in more regular intervals. And off to the hospital we went!

So thankful for all those I know were praying for me, and continue to do so now that we're all home. God has been so gracious and tender with us.