The Name Game

So, most of you know that my favorite part of being pregnant is picking out baby names. In fact, I've always been somewhat of a baby name addict. Ever since I was a little kids, continuing up through today I will write long lists of names for future babies, friends babies, our next baby...and so on. Perhaps I do it even more when I'm NOT pregnant. Of course it seems so easy to pick the perfect name when I'm NOT pregnant and the ramifications are only theoretical. When I AM pregnant the list suddenly takes on a more significant meaning and is thus scrutinized all the more.
Quite by accident with baby Sydney we stumbled upon a startiling discovery...its much more fun NOT to have a name ready when the baby is born. Indeed, it is so much better (for us) to have a list of names and then do the narrowing down and make the choice after the baby is born, when you can see her, touch her and know which of the names will "fit". Of course I realize that any name will fit if you've predetermined it and are set on it but there was something of a christmas morning like feel in waiting to look at her before we picked her name. So much so that we have decided that all subsequent kids will be named in the same fashion (lets hope that "all subsequent" means only this last one!)
Even so, making the list is part of the fun. We aren't finding out the baby's gender this time so we'll have two lists. The list is sure to change, even drastically so, from month to month and week to week as one or the other of us decideds we are tired of certain names, or hears something fresh to add, only to discard it again a few weeks down the road when we realize it didn't have any "staying power" with us.
It's very early on, but I thought I'd share how the list is shaping up so far. The boys' list is actually posted as a poll that can be voted on at the top right of the site. So, here's what we have so far...remember this may look far different from the way it will ulitimately look...even a few weeks from now...
BOYS:
Noah (leading in the poll by a big margin)
Carter
Madden
Britton
Campbell

GIRLS:
Augusta
Athena ("Thea")
Amelia ("Mia")
Amalia ("Mia")
Maia
Julia
Laila
Arinn



Last time, with Sydney the list grew quite long and was at 17 names when we left for the hospital. Of course some of those were only under consideration as middle names and out of the bunch we ended up with Sydney Paige which was funnily enough, not one of the top contenders until THAT day. Jackson had a girl in his kindergarten class with the name and Sydney had been his contribution to the list. Honestly when he first suggested it I just kind of gave it the "it's okay" shrugg but put it on becuase it was his choice and each of the kids were encouraged to add one name of their choice for consideration. Sure enough though when Sydney was born, out of all the names, it was instantly clear to me that only 4 on our list fit her. They were Elizabeth, Sydney, Morgan and Ava. Out of those four, Sydney fit her the best and had the right "vibe" that matched her . So Sydney she became. It's exciting to wonder who we'll be holding 7 months from now.