Name ideas?? Anyone?

So, we've got just over a week to go before Baby Girl Bishop comes -- and that's if we're lucky. I've had some pretty good contractions over the past couple of days, but nothing consistent. Just sayin'... it could be earlier than the schedule says, ya know?

And... we still don't have a name for this child. Sigh. Last week, Brian and I went through our lists and tried to narrow things down a bit. We went to bed that night feeling pretty good about two different names -- Natalie or Erin.

But now, I still just don't know! I must be extremely flaky with this naming thing. I guess? I keep thinking something's going to hit us both and we'll LOVE it and voila -- baby will be named! Not that we don't like lots of different names, but well... so far nothing's sticking for this kid. So, I'm opening it up for comments (again). If you have any great ideas, feel free to post 'em!

Our basic criteria:

Somewhat traditional -- nothing "made up" (no offense if you have a made-up name. so do I, remember?)

Doesn't start with an "S" (Samantha and Spencer are a coincidence, but a third "S" would definitely be a trend)

Not in the top 8 on the ss/popularity charts (that counts out Olivia, Emma, Ava, Hannah, Isabella, Sophia, Madison, Emily, Abigail)

Some others we (or at least I) sort of like, but they're off the list, for no particular reasons: Elizabeth, Rachel, Erika, Laura, Gabriella, Audrey

Well, folks, of course you know this is a take-it-or-leave-it plea for help, but really, I'd love some more ideas, if anyone has any to share?? We still might stick with Natalie or Erin, but I just keep wondering if there's maybe something else out there we're missing?

Her First Time

Samantha was sick last night. She threw up two different times in the night, poor thing. It's so hard to see my kids be sick -- I always feel so helpless. I guess the thing that's noteworthy -- or should I say "blogworthy"? -- about Sammie throwing up is that this was her very first time EVER to throw up.

I'm not kidding. She has heard about other friends/cousins who have thrown up or had stomach flu. And she's certainly heard ME lose it plenty of times throughout this pregnancy (but always from the other side of the bathroom door, thankfully). And yet, she's never had it happen to her, lucky girl. She must have Brian's invincible genes when it comes to sickness (knock on wood... and yes, I do realize how fortunate I am as a parent to NOT have dealt with much vomiting in all this time! More knocking on wood, please!!)

Anyway, so, last night at about 5 a.m. when she came crying outside our bedroom door, I thought it must have been a little nightmare or perhaps an "accident." She had spilled a glass of water on her floor a few nights earlier, so I thought maybe that happened again? Well, no... there she was sniffling and whimpering and I asked her what was wrong.

"Something yucky is in my bed," she told me. No, it wasn't water, she said when I asked. "It's something yucky that's all over the kitchen floor, too." Then more crying. I was trying to figure out what she was even talking about when she added, "I think it maybe came out of me."

Oh my poor girl. Brian and I both "got it" then, and he worked at cleaning up the kitchen floor, while I changed sheets and got her resettled in new pajamas, etc. She just seemed so bewildered and almost scared about it. It was actually really sweet to watch her, and to be there to comfort her. Samantha's one who rarely needs to be cuddled or held. Usually she's just so independent and somewhat fearless (except for "scary" movies -- like Snow White -- and dogs that actually want to be petted). Anyway, so I relished getting to be there with her, stroking her forehead and rubbing her back, telling her everything would be okay, and that this just sometimes happens to all of us.

An hour later, it happened again -- as is usually the case with these things, right? Well, she had a bowl and used it well, so we had a quicker, quieter clean up. She seems to be fine now, we'll see! I still just can't believe we've gone almost five years with her not even really knowing what it means to have a sick stomach. Let's just hope Spence doesn't get it -- he already knows what "throwing up" is all about, and he doesn't like it!

Here's our cutie girl, on a "better" day! ...

ps. that "bump" you see under the blankets in the first picture really IS that big! Only 11 more days, and counting!

Things I like today

So, it's been a good day, if not the most productive. I keep wanting to write and catch up, but all those reunion pictures from the summer will have to wait.

For now, just a short list of things that have made me happy today...

-- Gorgeous fall sunshine. It's been warm here, but not terribly hot. I love the crisp mornings and nice afternoons.

-- Garden-grown tomatoes and squash. Brian's mom brought us a big bag full of delicious tomatoes, peppers, squash and other produce -- enough to make a large batch of fresh salsa (maybe tomorrow?) Nothing beats those home-grown tomatoes. mmmmm...

-- Piggy buns. This is a hair-do for Samantha, which she rarely asks for anymore. But this morning she asked for piggy buns (like piggy tails, but folded up into a loose bun, wish I had a picture). I love how cute she looked, going out the door to school. Makes her look a year younger.

-- The Eagles. Brian gave me a "new" Eagles CD last year for my birthday. It's one that got put aside for a long time, then I just pulled it out a few days ago and felt like I had a whole new musical experience with the Eagles once again. I LOVE their harmonies, sooo well blended.

-- No wars at bedtime. Spencer's been throwing fits for us to "leave the door open" for the past few weeks. When we DO leave it open, he stays awake until we go to sleep at 11 or so, without fail. So, we've started closing it again. And he howls. Forever. But tonight, we closed it and left a brighter night-light in there for him. No crying fit. (But he was still awake after 10. sigh.)

-- Maverick's hot chocolate. I tried it today for the first time, and it was really tasty. But the last 1/4 cup was waaay too sweet to even finish. Still, not bad, for a service station.

-- A clean kitchen, for the moment. I spent a long time yesterday cleaning our pantry, sweeping, organizing, and wiping all the counters thoroughly with antibacterial cleaner. For several hours, it stayed quite clean and just felt sooo nice... then we had to eat again. Oh well. :)

-- Contractions. Just a few each day, and very sporadic. But they're there, and they feel real, and they remind me that things are winding down! One way or another, two weeks from today we will have a baby girl. yay!

Bye for now!

Getting ready for her

So, I went to the doctor a few days ago. The baby doctor. I was surprised, when we scheduled the rest of my appointments and got the c-section paperwork started. Only THREE more appointments on the charts. Three weeks! Final date: Oct 5. Or, if I go into labor before then, we'll do an earlier c-section. (For those who wondered about the need for a c-section, well, the complications after Spencer make it a real necessity for me, due to where the "tear" was. So, no "v-back" in case of a rupture. Rats.)

Anyway, we're getting close enough that it's time to start getting ready for this little girl! Samantha has been especially excited about all the "preparations." Our sis-in-law, Lisa, has been passing down all her baby girl clothes as their now-four-month-old, Brianna, grows out of them. We just got another bag from her at our family camp-out this weekend (yay!), and Sammie was VERY excited to see what we inherited. I told her she could have a look while I rested yesterday afternoon. I woke up to this...

She had carefully laid out every outfit on three mats (from our camping trip). She even matched up pants and shirts for most of them. I had been hearing her little exclamations of "oh, how cute!" throughout my nap. What an organizer, eh!?

She's getting very excited to welcome new baby sister, and is pretty agreeable about our name ideas (even though we're still not sure yet). Seeing her baby cousin, Brianna, at our campout was especially fun for her.

Spencer, on the other hand, still has no clue. He liked seeing baby Brianna just as much as Sammie. But now, when I tell him I have a baby in my tummy, he is SOOO not convinced. "No, Mama. No baby in Mama's tummy." I can just picture his little mind thinking, "that big ball does NOT look ANYTHING like Baby Brianna!" :) We'll have some work to do, getting him used to the idea of a new little one around here.

A cute picture of him in his cute new jammies. (Don't blow it up, I think he might have a goober, but it was the only one where he was looking and smiling.)...

As for me, well, let the nesting phase begin! I have had two to three days in a row where I've actually felt like getting things done around here...

-- 6-7 loads of laundry (with a little help from Brian getting it started and put away)

-- Mopped the kitchen floor. That's HUGE, people. It's been months. In fact, the last time it was mentioned on here -- June? -- was the last time. gross, huh? But sooo nice to have it clean again. (Of course, Spencer managed to spill two glasses of sticky, syrupy juice all over it, within just hours after it was mopped. sigh.)

-- Vacuumed. I just have the hardest time getting that job done these days, so I felt really good to check it off the list.

-- Dusted. Another one that just doesn't get done too often.

-- Put up the few fall decorations I have. So festive!

-- Got 250+ new-born diapers on a killer sale. Score!!

-- Changed the oil and got the car washed. (Not exactly the normal "nesting" job, but something important that needed to be done.)

-- Planted mums in the pots out front. Not sure how long they'll last, but they're still looking good on day #2!

-- Looked at several stores for a dresser/change table/shelf unit for this baby. Still haven't found what I'm looking for, but now I know where NOT to look.

-- Went grocery shopping. That was today -- first time in a few weeks. Finally, fresh fruit and produce in our fridge! yay!! (Aside - I lost track of time while I was shopping and had to have them "hold" my so-full cart in their cooler while I went and picked up Samantha from preschool. Embarrassing, huh? But I didn't want to just ditch the cart, or put it all back, or be late to get Sam. What else could I do?!)

Still on the list...

-- Get a dresser, or somewhere to put all the cute, cute, tiny stuff I've been collecting and rounding up for Baby.

-- Wash and put away all her cute little clothes and blankets and bedding, etc.

-- Clean bathrooms.

-- Go into labor?

Hard to imagine what it will be like with three. But then, I know that within a few weeks, it will be hard to imagine what life was ever like without her, right? One more "good night" shot of Sam and Spencer. (Spence is pointing at the "doggie" on top of the camera -- the only way I can get him to look when I'm trying to take his picture. ha!)...

First Day

I'm joining all the other moms and dads tonight, posting a picture of Samantha's first day of preschool...

There's our girl, headed out the door with a smile on her face. We decided to do Spanish preschool again this year -- same as last year, same teacher, same classroom, everything. We had several discussions over the summer about what we should do for her education... even contemplated "early" kindergarten. So crazy, to be a parent and be worrying about these things that sometimes sound so trivial when "other" parents talk about them. I mean, how many times when I was single did I listen to "other" mothers talk about their kids' school options and behind their back I rolled my eyes thinking, it's ONLY preschool, or it's ONLY kindergarten.

But when it's you're kid, it's different, huh? And to me, it's surprisingly satisfying to feel so invested in these little bodies and their minds and their futures. I love feeling that I really do want what's best for them. Does that even make sense? Well, so back to Spanish preschool... during the summer, every time we tried to get her to practice anything in Spanish, she gave a blank look and needed lots of help for everything except counting. I started thinking, maybe this is a waste? Will she even get it, or will we be starting all over again by doing a second round?

Well, when she got home after Round 2, Day #1, all afternoon Sammie went around the house singing her Spanish songs, asking what different words mean in Spanish, making up her own "pretend" Spanish conversations. She's back, and all in just one morning of Spanish preschool. Yay! I'm really glad she enjoys it so much.

When I dropped her off in the morning, I helped her hang up her jacket and backpack, and before I could even hug her, she was off across the classroom, finding her name on the rug/mat where she was supposed to sit with the other kids. I had to settle for a wave, instead of a hug.

Though I've secretly done a bit of chuckling over other mothers' posts about sobbing at the bus stop, I now confess, I was wiping away a few tears as I pulled out of the parking lot.

And it's ONLY preschool.

(I blame the pregnancy for the tears, of course. ha!)