Dear Baby,

I talk to you in my belly all the time, but this is the first time that I'm putting my thoughts down on "paper." As I write this, you are 6 weeks away from your scheduled grand entrance into this world. Your daddy and I can't wait to meet you...we're definitely nervous about what lies ahead, but we are ready to embark on this new phase of our lives as a family.

Our adventure with you truly began on the morning of Sunday, November 29. We had been in Memphis for Thanksgiving and, well, let's just say that I had some signs that maybe I was pregnant. On the way home, we stopped to buy a pregnancy test for me to take first thing Sunday morning. I had a hard time sleeping that night because I was so excited to find out the results. I woke up early Sunday and took the test...and it was positive!

Your dad was still in bed when the results finally started showing up, and I said "Um, Scott, are you ready to have a baby?" He sat straight up in bed and said, "What?!?!" and came to the bathroom to look at the test and we just hugged each other in complete disbelief!

The next few weeks were difficult because we were so excited about the news, but didn't want to tell anyone until we were sure that I was really pregnant. We went for our first ultrasound on December 11, 2009 (6 weeks, 1 day), to confirm that you were real...and you were! You were just a little speck, about the size of a grain of rice, right there on that ultrasound...I've never been so happy to see a grain of rice in my entire life! And of course that started your nickname, "Baby Speck." But the most amazing thing was that you were a little speck with a heartbeat! It was amazing to watch your little heart beat (you'll learn in AP Bio class one day that it was really your "fetal pole" beating - not even a full heart yet)...yes, your mom is a dork!

We went back for another ultrasound on December 22, 2009 (7 weeks, 5 days) to make sure that you were growing like you should be, and you were. You were now the size of a raspberry! Since it was so close to Christmas, we figured the best present that we could give your grandparents and your aunts and uncles was to show them a picture of you. So we took your ultrasound picture, gave it a little Santa hat, and sent an e-mail to Abu, PaT, Andrea and Gaby with just the picture of you attached:

Everyone was so excited!! We had to wait a few days to tell Mimi, Granddaddy, Wendy, and Chris, because we wanted to tell them in person when we saw them at Christmas. So we printed a picture of you onto a card, and gave it to them in Mississippi (Chris wasn't there, but we called him to tell him the news).

The first few months that I was pregnant with you were an adventure. I was always a little bit nervous and anxious, just waiting for the next doctor's appointment to confirm that you were still in there. And of course then I started getting sick to my stomach a lot...which wasn't fun for me, but it meant that you were growing and healthy, and that's all that mattered to me! I was willing to endure a few weeks (or months) of nausea if it meant that you were ok. And you were. We went for our next appointment on January 22, 2010 (12 weeks, 1 day) and got to see you again...and this time, you looked like a real person!

On February 16, 2010 (15 weeks, 5 days), we went back to the doctor to check in on you and we got amazing news...we found out you were a boy! Of course, we were a little shocked because all you have are boy cousins, so we couldn't believe we were adding another little boy to the family. But we were so excited! I won't tell you the exact words that we used to break the news to the family...at least not until you're old enough to hear them.

After that point, my nausea started to go away, and I could tell my body was changing a little bit. I wasn't showing yet, but I could definitely tell that I was pregnant. Over the next few weeks, I was feeling little flutters in my belly, but wasn't quite sure what they were. But on March 18, 2010, when I was exactly 20 weeks pregnant, I felt a lot of flutters and I was sure that they were you just kicking away inside my belly.

This is what I looked like on April 8, 2010 (23 weeks):

My pregnancy with you has been so different than I ever expected, but I have loved every minute of it. Sure, it has come with some weird 'side effects' - like being congested all the time, and walking around with a very pronounced waddle. But they've all been worth it.

My favorite part about being pregnant is feeling you move inside my belly. I love that I can tell how much you're growing because your kicks and punches get stronger every day. And when you roll around in there, I can see my belly shift and move as you move. It's amazing!

Here's what you looked like on April 28, 2010 (25 weeks, 6 days). I almost think you look like you're wearing a pair of glasses in this picture (just warning you, with our horrible vision, you will probably wear them one day!).

On May 5, 2010 (26 weeks, 6 days), we finally got to see you in 3D, and boy are you cute! You have the cutest, fullest little lips!!

Your daddy and I took a trip to Islamorada, Florida for our 6-year anniversary, and it proved to be a very special trip. Your daddy got to feel you move and see you move (remember that belly shifting that I mentioned?) for the first time, the day before our anniversary. That was such a special day for us, because it really felt like we were together as a family, and your daddy could finally feel what I had been feeling for so many weeks.

Since then, my belly has continued to grow as you get bigger and bigger, and the belly shifting is more noticeable with every passing day.

This is a picture of your daddy and me on June 5, 2010 (31 weeks, 2 days), the day of my baby shower. I hope you can see the joy and excitement in our faces! We love you so much little one!

And this is me at the 32-week mark (June 10, 2010), with my new "mommy" haircut.

And today, I am 34 weeks pregnant and counting down the weeks until I get to meet you. You are already the love of our lives little one!