MILES SAMSON ENGLAND!

The 3rd love of our life has arrived....

On May 3rd, 2019 at 4:48 AM - in a fast and furious and most perfect way, Mr. Miles Samson was born weighing 7 pounds, 12 ounces and measuring 19 inches. 

It was a crazy adventure but we are so happy you are here. These past 13 days have been emotional, exhilarating, happy, exhausting and...just so, so good.

You are so loved, little one. We have literally been showered in messages, gifts, cards, calls - our village has surrounded us with so much love. It's really beautiful. 

SO...here's your birth story. 

On Thursday, May 2nd - I woke up and headed to work. I was tired, huge, and having contractions per normal. TMI but I lost my mucus plug that morning. Around lunch time, I headed home to try and relax. I ended up taking a nap and waking up feeling a bit better and really hungry, craving an Italian Hoagie of all things. Josh got us dinner and we decided to work on the pool outside - bedtime rolled around and I had trouble falling asleep. Eventually woke up every hour to pee (the fun of being 9 months pregnant) - around 2:00 AM, I woke up again and was having some intense contractions. These felt different then the contractions I was having prior....more intense? I had downloaded an app timing contractions earlier in the day (I guess I knew??) - I decided to time them and I had 4 contractions, 3 minutes apart. If I had a 5th, I'd wake Josh. The 5th contraction came on STRONG so I promptly woke him up. We called the doctor and the operator let us know she'd call us back in 20 minutes  2 minutes later, she called and told us she'd meet us at the hospital. IT WAS BABY TIME!!! By this point, it was roughly 2:30 AM? We texted my mom, sister and brother, Matt, to come over and watch Layla & Benny. I also told Josh to throw all the stuff surrounding my baby bag INTO the bag along with Miles' hats and clothes (I guess I should have finished packing?) -- luckily, Matt, Kim & my mom ALL responded -- perks of having the best family on EARTH. Meanwhile, I the contractions were coming on strong and fierce -- I threw pants on and we waited in the car until Matt showed up (full disclosure -- we left before he got to our house because I was scared I'd have the baby in the car - so for roughly 7 minutes, Layla & Benny slept soundly in an empty house - THANKFULLY no one woke up!)

Josh & I made it to the hospital -- parked the car -- and tried to make our way into the hospital in the middle of the night. We went into the ER which was empty and Josh yelled WE ARE IN LABOR to the nice old lady working the front desk. She calmly called the maternity ward and they sent a wheelchair for me to head upstairs. 

We made it to maternity where a TEAM of people were waiting for me - they were ALL smiling and totally made me feel at ease. This was a new hospital to me (I delivered the first two at Abington) - but this hospital was amazingggg. They took me to a room and told me to change into a gown. While changing, my water broke! I had wished for this and it happened - but it wasn't nearly as exciting nor fun as I anticipated - and now the contractions were so painful, I couldn't speak through them. The sweet nurse checked me and I was only 1-2 centimeters which meant I could have my C-Section as planned. 

My mom & sister met us in this room where I promptly cried at the sight of them. (Also - my amazing Mother In Law promptly switched her flight that was supposed to be a week later to that night)

A little while later, we were en route to the OR. As a side note, I was deciding between two doctors for my scheduled C-Section. The doctor I didn't choose ended up doing the surgery and I'm forever grateful it was her. She was SO sweet, loving and did the very best job. Meant to be.

After my spinal and a long few minutes....they pulled you out. This perfect, LITTLE boy (I swore you'd be bigger then Benny - but instead you weighed exactly as much as Layla!!) - and after that, I met you. I kissed your face. They held you next to me and I knew you. I loved you. You were mine.

They moved me upstairs to recovery and I was able to nurse you - you did it right away. Maybe 1 hour on EACH side? Genius. We eventually made it to my room where I'd spend the next 3 nights learning you and loving you and recovering.

I'll say this C-Section, I had the quickest recovery both mentally and physically. We had lots of visitors in the hospital - but my favorite was Layla & Benny meeting Miles. SO cute, so perfect, so sweet.

My time in the hospital was mostly good - relaxing. A lot of time spent just Miles & I. A lot of tears shed. I wasn't able to sleep much and I missed Josh, Layla & Benny too much. That Monday, I was able to go home and since then, it's been better everyday.

I'm learning how to juggle 3 kiddos. 

I'm learning how to divide my time. 

I'm learning that my body needs more time to recover and I shouldn't push it. 

I'm learning that I'll go back to work faster then I did with the other two and that's okay.

I'm learning to literally enjoy every single second because these 2 weeks went FAST which can only mean that with this 3rd precious baby, time will zoom by.

I'm learning that Miles is the missing piece to my heart, to this family, and I am forever grateful that he is here. 

We had his Bris on May 10th (the day he was meant to arrive) - it was beautiful and full of love and food and family and friends. 

He's been to the doctor twice - everything looks great and despite losing weight and going down to 7 pounds, 2 ounces while in the hospital - he's back up to 7 pounds, 10 ounces - YAY BREASTFEEDING!

All good things and we are so happy you are here, sweet little one. 

I know this pregnancy was so hard and I was so uncomfortable but you were worth every single ache and pain and tear.

We love you. SO much. You are so good.

P.S. HAPPY 2 WEEKS BUDDY!!! Today is your due date but instead, you've been in our lives for 2 beautiful weeks.

P.P.S. This is a very small snippet of the millions of pictures we have been taking of you :)