So here it is. My birth story for this little beam of light that has come out of heaven above and into the most perfect place inside my arms and in the hearts of our new family of 5.

Venice Alanna Rita. You didn’t know we snuck that in did you? Well it was my beautiful souled husband who would not let me get away with leaving my beloved mother’s name out of my new favorite girl in the world’s name forever. Has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? One day she’ll know how mighty that name is and how much love is wrapped up into those 4 little letters inside her second middle name. (Love you mama. Thanks for sending the signs we needed to know you wanted it in there :))

It was Friday night. My family was over for an impromptu BBQ, when my brother in law said “I bet you go tonight” well fast forward to 1:45am and he was right. The contractions started. They started but never picked up speed until, ya know, Sunday night. After a bubble bath with extra clary sage and a few texts back and forth with my L&D sil, who thought it was text book Braxton Hicks and I was terrified for my life that this would go on forever.

Around 8:30 I started to get nervous because the contractions were on top of each other. We spent the day at my sil’s gorgeous pool and I walked and breathed and ate my way through contractions. It was a phone call to aunt Al and nana and papa, and we’d be leaving once someone got here to help with the boys.

My precious, sweet boys. Maverick was full of nerves but he didn’t even realize it, until I was trying to tell him a bedtime story and pretending all was normal until I couldn’t talk through contractions anymore and left bed time up to Dan. Acey babe was already asleep thanks to that mix of summer pool sun type of tired.

Nance and Al showed up, and dan paced the house a few times with the car seat in hand, and I had to laugh at how absolutely endearing my forever guy is. He’s just the best.

But I needed an epidural and I needed one STAT. We walked into Saratoga hospital almost 2 years to the date (of Acey’s birth) later, and we were greeted by our favorite nurse. She delivered Ace and my heart and mind were immediately calm.

5 centimeters. Yowzzzza. Labored some more until the epidural came and then it was nuhnight for a little. Morning came and the midwife broke my last bag of water and we did a practice push which became the first set of 3 pushes. “Full head of black hair, mama lets go!” She said, and 10 minutes later, our little baby girl rode out in a wave of water and my hands were right there, with gimme her!!!! Fingers and like that she was in my arms and on my chest and I was laughing through the happiest tears of relief.

Venice. Sweet beautiful baby girl, Venice. Little mama. Baby love. Littlest member of our family and SO loved.

24 hours later I was discharged and we were home and life has never been more chaotic or crazy but life has never felt so beautiful. So right. The love inside my bones for these kids that God has entrusted me with is unexplainable by words. Becoming a mother for a third time makes me pray for every person longing to be a mother for the first time. A mother to even 1. Being a mother is the most magical, magnificent, most rewarding thing I’ll ever do.

I am so proud of my little boy Maverick. And though Ace is at an all time challenging phase, we are working though it with his little two year old heart one moment at a time. My husband? Forget it. He’s second to none when it comes to being a dad and a husband. God truly made an angel when he made Dan. And I’m the lucky one that gets to watch with a front row seat, what we have created together in love; 3 lives. Our three best friends. And our three favorite people on planet earth.

Thank you everyone for all the well wishes, the little pops of pink, the food, the generosity, the prayers and for all the LOVE you have surrounded us with. We love you right back!!!