Christmas Joys

Where cousins go to become friends...Lyle is happy as always...

Comparison from last Christmas

Waiting

We are at 39 weeks, 2 days. Waiting for baby boy to come...

We have a list of names but not a favorite picked out. Not officially. With Zoë, we had narrowed it down to two (I think). We discussed this over the weekend and neither of us could remember our 2nd choice for her. It's amazing what you forget that once seemed very important.

I'm a bit concerned that we haven't yet chosen his name. I suppose it's mostly the part of me that likes to have everything all figured out and organized. I'd like to go to the hospital knowing. And it's not that we don't have ideas...we just haven't chosen. Two days ago Nathaniel threw out another name that hadn't been on our (ok, my) list. He really likes it. I'm processing it. 

For some reason, choosing a boy name has been so much harder for us than it was choosing a girl name. I think it's because the boy will become a man, so the name we choose needs to be able to stand that transition. It's also because having a name that has a good meaning is important to both Nathaniel and I. And after the choice that we made with Zoë being so true (Zoë meaning "life" and Caroline meaning "strength"), we joke that this child's name really should mean something like "peaceful" or "calm".  We had to throw out a name that we both really liked because its meaning was "wolf-lover." We weren't sure how to make that Biblical. Wolf-lover...ok, spiritually that could mean one who...um, a wolf in sheep's clothing, uh...yeah, no.

I was so thankful that Nathaniel and I both had time off over Christmas. We got so many things finished on our to-do list. I think we're as ready as we can be. The bassinet is set up, baby clothes are washed and folded, Zoë's clothes and baby's clothes are now living in their new-to-us dresser, my hospital bag is packed, lesson plans are written...  

I keep telling people when they ask if I'm anxious about having baby #2 that I've been holding onto those beautiful verses in Psalm 139 that talk about how my baby's days have all been ordained before one of them came to be, that each baby is fearfully and wonderfully made. Now I just need to relax and enjoy the calm before the storm, knowing that, as my mom says, everything will work out in the fullness of time. She reminded me tonight that even Christ was born in the fullness of time. My baby's birthday has been preordained; I just need to wait for it to be revealed. What a promise. What a comfort.

Come when you're ready, little guy. Can't wait to meet you.