38 weeks

Dear Baby Smith,

I absolutely CANNNOT wait to meet you in 9 days:) This past week has flown by....and I hope that the next 9 days fly by as well. Last Thursday, the 7th, we had a doctors appointment. Dr. Goodlett said that he was pretty sure that you had flipped around and were no longer breech. We had an ultrasound just to make sure. You were positioned correctly, and had actually dropped some. The lady doing the ultrasound also measured you and said that you weighed 7 lbs. Your Daddy and I LOVE seeing you in ultrasounds...you move constantly!!! We couldn't tell very much about your features, because you were so cramped in my tummy. We have planned to have me induced on the 23rd, so that Dr. Peyero, our favorite doctor can deliver you. On Friday, your Daddy's cousin, Anna, went to the hospital to be induced with your 3rd cousin. Everything went well and Thomas Russell Hodge III (Tradd), was born on Saturday, the 9th. He weighed 9 lbs and 14 oz. I know that you two are going to be such good "cousin friends":).....and, your birthdays will be exactly 2 weeks apart. Your Daddy still cannot decide on a name for you....he is being so picky....which, I am thankful for...he REALLY wants to make sure that you have a great name!!!! It looks like you will either be Benjamin Paul Smith, Jr., or Benjamin McDavid Smith (Mac). I love both of the names....so, it is up to your sweet Daddy!! We have another doctor's appointment today....and I can't wait to hear your sweet heartbeat!!!

We are really sooo excited to meet you. In fact, your Daddy and I spent last Sat night, just sitting in your room, talking about how wonderful it is going to be to meet you and how much our lives are going to change:)

You really are lucky to have such a wonderful and loving Daddy!!!! He loves to feel you move in my tummy and he loves to put his ear to my tummy and listen to you move (you kick his ear sometimes when he is listening to you:). One night, this past week, I was exhausted (like I am most nights now:),  and I fell right to sleep when we went to bed. You had the hiccups (like you do every night now). Your Daddy stayed awake with his hand on my tummy until your hiccups went away. How told me the next morning, that while I was asleep, he continued to feel the hiccups and you move around for about 30 more minutes. I love that, and I LOVE how much he loves you!!! He is so excited about meeting you!!! He is going to change  your first diaper. He has never changed a diaper before, so I can't wait to see how he does:)

We almost have your room ready. Well, everything is ready, except the paintings that we are doing to go on your wall. We have to complete two more, then we can hang them.

We have your Halloween costume ready....a pumpkin....you will be the sweetest pumpkin ever!!!!!!

I have my bags packed and everything is in the car waiting on the ride to the hospital to take place......so, you can really come anytime now....we are ready and are so excited about meeting you and loving on you!!!

We LOVE you soooo much!!!!!

Mommy

Oh, I forgot to tell you....your big cousin Banks, called yesterday, and said that he can't wait to sing to you when you are born....he wants to sing the I love you song, and, You are my Sunshine. He is going to be a great big cousin!!! Aunt Sarah said that Banks talks about you all of the time and wanted to buy you a present, a "baby shaker." Remember, Banks is almost 3, so what he really meant, is that he wanted to buy you a baby rattle. Sarah took him to the store and he picked out his fav rattle for you and they had it wrapped. I think that he is bringing it to the hospital to give to you. I asked him if he wanted to hold, "Baby Cousin," at the hospital and he got so excited!! I can't wait to see the two of you together!!!

I Love you so much!!!!!!