This baby needs a name!

When choosing Elle's name, it was pretty easy. We had a very short list and we both loved the name Elle. Her middle name is Rowan, another one we both loved. This baby is much more difficult for me.

Here is the list for little sister so far:
1.Parker- I really like but I worry it is too masculine with Elle's literally meaning "her". This is DH's top choice. Middle name would be something very feminine like Mae or Emmeline.
2. Molly
3. Lily
4. Halle
5. Lucia
6. Brynn
7. Edie
8. Leighton

Nothing else is jumping out except Emma, but it must be vetoed due to being the most popular name in the world.

I feel like maybe putting this out into the internet world will help me somehow. Any other suggestions?

A few recents of Elle:

First: Pony Tail

I love your hair. When you were born it was jet black and you had quite a bit of it. All that black fuzz fell out and in grew this honey colored, straight but curled at the ends hair. Now it is finally long enough for a pony tail. A messy one, but a pony tail nonetheless.

33 Weeks. Kinda Done.

Today was our first summer day. And surprisingly, it was hot (75 degrees) and I got really sticky in a lot of annoying places. I wore kinda short shorts and a skimpy tanktop which is opposite normal pregnant me where I feel as though I should hide my puffy parts. But I am so sick of being pregnant that I just kinda wanted to throw those parts in everyone's face. Like what? You don't like my elephantiasis foot? Too bad, I even wore skimpy flip-flops.

Your sister and I just kinda bummed around town in the heat. I took her to some wading pools that she hated and we ate strawberries on the front porch. We blew bubbles and then she sat on you (in me) and you got all twisted up and angry and started punching my kidney with your fist so I put your sister to bed early since she was starting to get punchy too and I can only handle one tiny punching person at a time (lord help me in 7 weeks). You and I sat on the couch and you finally un-snuggled yourself off my diaphragm so I could actually breathe and it was then a nice little time. Till it was time for bed.

I have become fearful of sleep. Mostly because I cannot seem to remember how it is done. I just lie there and think about where you will sleep (we only have two bedrooms) and if your sister will stomp on you and try to feed you whole grapes and my mind just goes along with these thoughts like getting sleep is such a low priority for my body. And sleep comes hours later after I fling my huge belly from side to side in the bed 74 times before just moving to the couch.

Tonight while I was lotioning my belly in the mirror, admiring how weird it looks, I saw a strechmark on my side. I got through the pregnancy with your sister with no stretchmarks (except one on my knee from water retention) and I was hoping to do the same this time. But no. There it is with it's skinny red face sneering at me. So I huffed to bed and flung myself from side to side hating the "heat" of the bedroom. I went to the living room to grab a light blanket and tried to spy on the strechmark once more on my way back but my belly was now covered in lines and indents from the bed since I was thrashing around in there for an hour like an enormous beached whale.

And it just hit me then that everything is different. I am not pregnant with Elle. You and her will be different babies. It is a totally new journey and I need to stop comparing the both of you. A good lesson for your whole childhood I suppose. So I am just going to own this new strechmark and perhaps find even skimpier clothing that will show it off. (No. I won't do that.)

So, 7 weeks till I am 40 weeks. Please come out with a nametag as I have no idea what I am naming you. Thank you. I love you.

(please limit time on my diaphragm to 30 min a day so I can breathe. kisses.)

I have no pregnant picture since your dad is at work, but here is one of sis right before she got punchy and put to bed:

Blogging Baby Buddies

I know I wrote about the friends I have made through writing these letters to you before, but I have just grown to love some of them :) I think about 10 years down the line when you girls are growing up and getting older, playing with make up and talking about boys (yes, I do think I did that at 11 or 12) and I hope we are all still making fun of each other and sharing parenting tips. People where ask me where I met them and it sounds so weird saying "well, we all blog...." but it is true. We all just like writing to our kids and after reading eachother's words online, we now have gotten to see our kids become little friends. That is pretty cool.

{Readers: In these photos, you may recognize Harper from Harper's Happenings and Ruari from the Paper Mama.}

When I started writing these letters online, I had no aspirations around it. I will never advertise on it or try to make any money from it (not that there is any problem with that, I totally admire the success my fellow blogging moms have found, just not for this blog). I never thought anyone would care to read it. But finding these friends has been more valuable to me that anything that could have possibly happened.

So if you are ever feeling lonely like I was before I met these ladies, just reach out. You may be surprised by the wonderful people reaching back for you.

31 Weeks & a Nap.

A letter to the belly bean.

Today something amazing happened. Your sister woke up from her nap still sleepy and wandered over to the couch where you and I were resting and crawled onto my belly where she promptly fell asleep. She had a serious of weird dreams that caused much cooing and small squeaks. And you were kicking and kicking. She slept there for an hour and half and you moved around the whole time. I will admit, I kept having to slowly change positions because you already take up my entire stomach and your favorite resting place is my spine, making me feel like I am going to pass out. But it was the best connection I have had with both of you at the same time this entire pregnancy.

It is much different this time around as I just cannot focus on you in my belly as much as I could with Elle. So I look for quiet moments to connect with you. Like when I am driving and you are kicking, I will rest my hand on my belly to feel you. That is my biggest fear in suddenly becoming a mama to two babies. I want to make sure I have equal time and attention for both of you. It makes me nervous because I want to be the absolute best mama I can be. So 9 weeks until your arrival, it sure has flown by. I cannot wait to meet you bean!

Mama.

Photos {I feel like an absolutely massive cow but I promised myself to continue posting pictures of this pregnancy}