The first Sunshine Coast baby of the new year was born to Victoria Pauls and Nick Samaras at 5:24 a.m. on Jan. 2, 2016 at Sechelt Hospital.
Baby Athena Samaras weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces and was about a week past her due date.
“Nick has been hoping for the New Year’s baby the entire pregnancy, but I would have been happy to meet our Christmastime due date,” Victoria said.
Her water broke on Dec. 31 and after a long and difficult labour, Athena was born via Caesarean on Jan. 2.
Nick and Victoria decided to name their baby girl Athena “after the classic Greek goddess of wisdom and war,” as a way to honour Nick’s heritage.
Athena has four siblings, Paige and Alexis Pauls (twins, age 12) and Sophia and Kira Samaras, aged 12 and 9 respectively.
Victoria is the owner of Cheeky Monkey Cakes. She will be taking most of 2016 off from her business to spend time with her new baby girl.
“I will be taking on a few wedding orders over the summer, but taking the majority of the next year off,” Victoria said.
She and Nick would like to send their “heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Bryson, Dr. Du Plessis, Dr. Scott, and the wonderful nurses at the hospital” for their help with Athena’s birth.
