What's In A Name?

Our first two boys seemed fairly easy to name.  With Elijah, our list was narrowed down to just two or three that we liked, and Owen's name was chosen quickly too.  This third baby boy, however, has taken us some time. William was the very first name that I wrote down on our list that we both loved right away, but that didn't make it an easy choice. I wanted to consider every possible option... the meanings, the histories, the sounds of the consonants and vowels...etc.
Here are some of the names we considered (in case you are interested):

Bret, Eliot, Henry, Julian, Oliver, Truman, Wallace, Ulysses, Tristan, Robin, Reed, Gavin, Clark, Charles, Harvey, Walter, Atlas, Jasper, Milo, Miles, Benjamin, Jude, Rupert, Pierce, Grant, Gerald, Lyndon, Lincoln, Everett, Ethan, Asher, August, and Landon

Some of those are still in the running for the middle name, which we have yet to decide.

Choosing the name is such an enormous task. That's why I like to get started on it right away.  I think I got out the baby name book the day after we found out that I was pregnant! A name definitely adds to a persons identity and may influence who they are when they grow up.  It feels like so much pressure, so choosing the right one is extremely important to me. A few weeks ago we narrowed it down to just August,which Martin was leaning a little more towards than I, and William, which by now you know we have chosen.

Here is why I love the name William:
It's classic & strong, but can be made to feel contemporary with the nickname Will or Liam (note: those are the only acceptable nicknames for this child if you want us to acknowledge you... Bill will not be allowed).
I love the way it flows
It's easy (both to say and spell- people won't have to ask twice), familiar, old-fashioned, and makes me think of my little "prince"
The meaning: "Resolute Guardian/Protector" Being the third boy in the family, I thought it would be nice for him to have a name with a strong meaning since he'll have to defend himself against two big brothers.
I like the author, William Faulkner
This one might not make sense, but I thought it kind of goes well with his siblings names... Elijah, Owen, and William.  They just sound good together, they fit.

                                 Once we decided on the name I went out and bought these blocks at a second hand store to spell out his name! They will probably go on a shelf in his room.

sorry if I'm over-sharing in this pic. I had a little too much fun with the name excitement!

So,  now you all know... baby William White is on his way!

Note: posible middle names- James(after Martin's dad and my brother), Jude (means Praise and thankfulness- my vote for now), Henry, & Kenneth (after Martin's Grandpa).

Big Boys and their Ways

Owen's first night sleeping on the bottom bunk! I can hardly believe it. I went in his room and looked at his little toddler bed... it looked so empty and weird without him in it.  We actually weren't going to move him in until the end of May, but things never quite go as planned.  We got the mattress last week, and of course both boys were super excited about all the newness of it.  They kept getting up on it and taking turns trying to reach the top bunk with their feet.  The next night after we got it, Martin put sheets and blankets on it without me knowing, so when the boys and I got up... it really looked like a bed! Owen claimed it right away and layed down on it, saying, "I'm going to sleep in here." That night we gave it a try. (two nights ago). They talked and giggled for a while, but then our easy deep sleeper- Elijah went right to sleep as usual and Owen was left chattering to himself.  I don't think he expected this. He started crying later on, we came in and reassured him. He got out of bed after that... and wanted to go back to his "regular" bed. No harm... we tucked him in and he slept the night away. I'm not sure if he's going to want to stay in the bunk bed every night, but we'll make a slow transition if we have to.  ( I love pictures of them when they are sleeping, no matter how old they get)!

   The BIG INVENTION:

We actually don't know what it is yet, but Elijah has been collecting things for weeks claiming that it is for his "Big Invention." I gave him that dryer sheet box to keep all of it in.  He would ask to keep all sorts of weird things like pieces of this and that that I was going to throw away. "Well, what are you going to do with this?"  "It's for my big invention." It got a little out of hand. He really started hoarding things and then left it outside and it was pretty nasty. When Martin found it he asked Elijah to clean it out and keep the stuff that wasn't ruined or garbage. This turned out to be a very entertaining task. Owen joined in and they were fascinated with the rolly pollies that had made a home out of the box. Elijah really loved the rolly pollies... it was kind of cute.  He kept showing me how it would crawl on his hand, then they wanted to feed it...etc. The big invention has now become a pile on Elijah's art desk... (okay I secretly threw away the really unnecessary tiny pieces of paper that were driving me crazy- he loves to cut things up, just because).

Toilet Paper Roll Bird Feeders!

These are so easy and fun to make with your kids!

First: you take a toilet paper roll punch two holes in it
         attach a string, so that it will hang
         let your child spread peanut butter on it
         roll in birdseed
         hang it somewhere and watch the birds together!

            We just hung them on our fence where we normally watch the birds at mealtimes anyways.
I did a few with Owen too, but he refused to really do any of it.  He was afraid of getting peanut butter on his hands... go figure! But he'll gladly take apart a peanut butter sandwich and lick it off his fingers! For this project he enjoyed picking up the birdseed and burying the covered t.p. roll. I take what I can get... as long as he's willing to get involved with something.

So that's what we've been up to, me and me silly lovely boys!

Laughter- Bursting at the Seams!

Everyone is familiar with the emotional outbursts of pregnancy, but has anyone else experienced laughing attacks? A few nights ago I seriously could not stop laughing, and it really wasn't that funny to begin with, but the laughing felt so good.  Every time something remotely comical happened I burst out in laughter that made tears stream down my face. It started in the kitchen.  We have this issue with our dishwasher... well basically it leaks water almost every time we run it and I always forget and end up stepping in the little puddle getting my socks wet... which is one of my little pet peeves- wet socks. So I happened to be wearing my huge fluffy monkey slippers and stepped right in the puddle and kind of slid a little, and this for some reason was hilarious.  I went on and on laughing all the way to the couch.  Then this dumb commercial came on which was also the funniest thing I have ever seen apparently because it made me laugh so hard I wasn't sure if I was still laughing or balling. Martin just kind of looked over at me like I was insane and said, "doing all right over there?" to which I replied through laughing spurts, "that was so funny, wasn't that funny, did you see that?"

Anyway... this keeps happening.  It happened last night while reading.  There was a semi-funny joke in my book that just cracked me up.  I was sitting up in bed while Martin was brushing his teeth, and he had to come see what all the commotion was about... me book thrown on the side of the bed, giggling excessively.  Then of course I had to tell him the joke: "Two cannibals are eating a comedian. One says to the other- does he taste funny to you?" -funniest thing in the world.  Martin smiled, and gave me a sympathy laugh, you know the kind you know isn't real, he was being polite. I made him promise to tell the joke at work to see if anyone would laugh out loud. Because obviously this was real humor here.

I guess what makes all of this so outrageous is that I'm not really the "laugh-out-loud" kind of person.  When I think something is funny I smile, I might say "that's funny." I might giggle a little, but full out guffaws, nope. Not me. Even on funny shows or movies, I rarely make a big laugh.  I also rarely cry. Now I do both.  I guess pregnancy is just funny that way!  I wonder if the baby likes all that laughing.  I was imagining him twirling around in there like he does and then all of a sudden his world is shaking with laughter and a new sound.  I bet it makes him feel happy too.  It does feel good to laugh. You know after you've REALLY laughed, there's that relief afterwards.  It's like, "oh I'm glad I let all that out!" At least that's the way I feel. Maybe we should all laugh more, even if the joke is lame, or the circumstance is just another blah moment. I'm certain it's good for your health, and makes life less mundane. I've also noticed that my kids will laugh with me even if they have no idea why we are laughing.  that one is my favorite.  you just can't help sharing that happiness when someone else is full of it.

A Lazy Day and Baby Plans

The two big boys are sleeping... the little one in my belly is not.  He is so active now, moving around like a little acrobat, sometimes startling me with his sudden bouts of energy.  Owen refuses to be called little now. In his words- he is HUGE. And the way he says it makes me smile, thinking one day he will be, but for now I still think of him as my little boy, my snuggler. And Elijah now says that he is the Biggest boy, knowing that he will always be the oldest and there are two now that are smaller than him. (although we've long known that Owen will most likely pass him up at some point).

Elijah woke up with a fever, and has slept most of the day. He ate only a small bit of applesauce, watched sesame street with his brother, and then returned to bed.  So it's been a day of playing "Army Men" (which Owen will not let me call soldiers, for some reason he doesn't understand that those terms are really synonyms), and Legos... and some made up game where I am a mommy Elephant with Owen. We've all stayed in our jammies... and I'm thinking pizza and a movie will follow, to the end out this lazy day.

I know, I'm suppose to be eating healthier- bulking up on protein and fiber, and cutting down on sugars and large meals. All of that is a challenge.  I just want to eat what I want when I want it, and not feel guilty or worry about gaining too much. Yesterday I hit the 24 week mark.  Part of me feels like, I've been pregnant for such a long time now, and I am ready for this baby to come as soon as possible.  Then there's the other side, as usual, thinking wow there's only four months left... am I going to be ready? There is so much left to do... projects, and organizing, cleaning and preparing. Here are some of my goals:
Owen needs to be completely potty trained. I was so sure that by now, we would be under some easy breezy routine where I tell him to go and he does. Not so much.  reality is- I mention going potty, he screams out in refusal and I fight him for ten minutes to get him on the toilet seat.  He eventually does it, with some creative coaxing, but it is in no way easy. I'm exhausted by it, I am sick of buying pull-ups, and frustrated that he isn't farther along in this little journey.  Lately I've been trying to encourage him by showing him the past sticker charts he has completed for going potty. He seems proud of them and wants to get more... sometimes. Other times he just really doesn't care... and wants to play instead.
Transitioning Owen to Elijah's room.
We bought the mattress yesterday for the bottom bunk where Owen will be sleeping, but I think we'll wait a few more weeks to make the big move over.
Painting the Nursery!
This will be a fun day I think...friends are coming over to get it all done!
Car Seat Needs to fit.
Since we don't have a car seat yet, we're not sure if all three are going to fit in the back seat of our Subaru Forrester. It just depends on how big the base of the infant car seat is, I think. Somehow they are all going to have to fit, b/c a new car is not in the budget!
Other baby projects...
I'm working on a mobile
Martin will be making baby a special hat once I find him the right knitting pattern
 Art work for the wall- I'm assigning to my mom and brother.  The idea is from a book I have called, "It's Time To Sleep, My Love" and the picture I want done on canvas is of a huge hot air balloon in front of the sunset with all sorts of animals in the basket part of it.  It's really beautiful and whimsical
Block Shelf- I got this cool shelf at a yard sale that I'm going to paint blue/brown the room colors and put his name in antique block letters on it, also books etc.
Growth Chart- I thought it would be special to make all of the boys a wooden growth chart so that if we ever move, the "lines on the wall" won't get lost. The wood needs painted and measured for markings.  I also got the first letter of their names to put at the top.
Marble book ends- I saw this idea somewhere, just mason jars full of colorful marbles! I thought how perfect!
Baby book/scrapbook- I pre-made one for Owen when I was pregnant so that after he came all I had to do was put pictures in it, but this project is particularly challenging and time consuming... I bought a back-up already made on just in case I don't get around to doing it all myself.
Photo-Shoot- I want to take some maternity pics maybe next month (I'm also getting ideas for great newborn shots).
Changing Table- I have this old desk that I'm hoping to use as a changing table. It just needs painted, and maybe a security board ledge tacked on to it for safety.

Those are some of the things swirling through my head that need to get done.  Yesterday I cleared out the corner of our bedroom for where baby will most likely spend most nights for the first few months. We're going to put the swing there for him and have a little shelf for a humidifier, diapers, and a few small things he might need at night. Oh yeah, I also found the perfect and most adorable little blue rocking chair yesterday! It was a little more than I wanted to spend though, so I figured I'd wait to see if they lowered to price.  It's kid size so I thought it would be nice for the boys to sit and read in while I'm nursing. (of course they'd have to take turns, so this could be a problem)!

Nesting Much?

I never knew I would be so excited about a color.  Well, maybe I should take that back... I have been a little obsessed with colors since the age of two when I knew all of their names. "That's not pink, it's peach," and so on.  It's amazing how certain colors can affect you- some make you relaxed, others energized... and then there are the ones that make you so completely content, so sigh-with-satisfaction wonderful that you need that color to be a part of your every day life.  When I think of my favorite colors, I think of the sea and sky coming together.  I think of the the very beginning of all time when God planned out the most overwhelming beauty... the sand next to the ocean waves... the night sky- a canvas for stars to play on.  I think of blues: turquoise, aqua, teal, cerulean.  That's me. I'm blue to the core, and who would have thought I'd get three boys... to channel all of my blue into.

I tell you all this as I am finally getting the opportunity to paint a nursery.  With my first, we lived in an apartment- no painting the walls there.  With my second, well we did technically move into our current house a few months after he was born, but by then I had no energy for painting.  The nesting period was way over... and I was just in that survival kind of mode. So now that I can do a nursery justice, well I couldn't be more excited! Today I finally found the perfect blue. It sounds silly comparing a stack full of blues so similar I know there are some of you out there who may not be able to tell them apart.  But it matters to me. We decided on a color called "November Sky." Martin actually made the final decision (can you believe it)? It's on the lighter side and in the tones of a classic french blue.  Not the kind of blue on a clear summer day... more of a blue you might see towards the end of the day just before sunset, and in the fall. Or a blue the peeks in between the clouds on a rainy day, teasing here and there- it's just the perfect balance between peaceful and sheer joy!

The brown accent color we are using was easy.  I knew almost instantly which paint sample would be absolutely top notch. It's called "Missouri mud pie"... a very dark brown. My first instinct was a color called "bittersweet Chocolate," but that turned out to be just a hint too dark.

So the colors have been chosen, I've drawn out the plans, and even have some friends committed to coming over to help paint!!! My nesting juices are running wild. I lay in bed at night thinking about where I'm going to hang the moon and stars shelf, and where I'm going to keep the tummy time blankets. Sometimes I almost jump up put of bed to go and move something in the room, then I remember we haven't moved Owen out yet, and that I am being ridiculous.

It's been exactly 3 weeks since we found out that we are having a boy, and since then I have been on turbo power with lists of boy names and decorating the nursery.  There is something about both of those things that bring joy and reality to the surface.  He really is on his way... we're past the half-way point! And we are going to have such a special place for him that is all his own.  Every day I get more and more excited about meeting him and seeing how he will change our family.