I give you: A Basketball Team!

As you are well aware naming a new child is a huge endeavor.  Especially when your other children have such FABULOUS names.   We attempted not one, but two online polls to see if our decision could be made a little easier, and although I think it helped some, it did not grant us the solution.  So going into our fifth labor with our fifth boy Tyler and I were still unsure of an appropriate name. 

Boy Smith #5 was born exactly 1 week early (by the doctor's prediction), 1 day late (by mine), and barely on time (by Tyler's).  The birthing experience can only be explained as exactly what I would have thought a normal post first baby birth would be like.  You know, light contractions of 12 hours, intense contractions for 2 hours and then 45 minutes of "why do I keep doing this to myself?".  The problem for us was mostly that because the past 2 labors were so quick we were scared to leave the hospital because of a very real fear that I might deliver at home, in the car, or somewhere else in between.  

Thankfully, our midwife was also very nervous about this and once we arrived at the hospital she wouldn't let us leave.  So we spent 5 hours or so walking the floors back and forth and back and forth.  Which wasn't so bad as Eli was with us and having a great time and we had great visitors.  And as expected when we got past that weird early labor stage (something I hadn't experienced since the birth of Eli),  we progressed very fast and on Sunday, August 21st at 11:44 PM Boy Smith #5 was here!

He weighed a huge 5 lbs 8 oz and was a whole 18 and 3/4 inches long. Can you believe I was nervous that he would be big?  He is an incredible combination of his four big brothers with light red hair, a Josiah turtle head, and the always popular button nose.  And his name?  Matthias Brian Smith.  Which means, of course, "named by mommy".  Actually, Matthias (pronounced ma-TY-is), means "gift of God" (which considering our past 2 years seems incredibly perfect, and altogether true).  Brian, as a middle name, was an easy choice as my father's birthday was last week and is in fact called Brian: Meaning strong, high and mighty.  So there you have it: our little high and mighty gift from God!!

P.S.  For all of you hardcore housebuilding enthusiasts.  I am aware that I skipped week 13, and I do plan on doing a house update this coming weekend in which I will cover both week 13 and 14.