Memory Lane Monday: The Name Game

I woke up at 2:30 this morning out of a dead sleep to a dull, aching sensation in my belly, my mid section tightened into the hardest ball I'd ever felt. I shimmied around on my side of the bed trying to get comfortable, got up & tried going to the bathroom, settled back into my sheets & into a different position but lo & behold after about fifteen minutes or so, the aching {I liken it to menstrual cramps} & tightening would start up again. I quietly tiptoed out of our bedroom & into the living room, popped open my laptop & sat in front of the glow of it nervously googling, What do contractions feel like. 

I never experienced early contractions when I was pregnant with Jett. I was induced a day after my due date & the moment I asked for a little something to help me sleep, my doctor ordered my epidural {yes, the man is a saint}. I never had to suffer through those first pains of child labor {oh trust me--I made up for the suffering part later on-- tenfold}, so I have no idea what to look for this time around. 

I found there were a million different answers to my What do contractions feel like question & honestly, at the conclusion of my Google search I had no clue if the tightening & cramping that I felt sporadically from 2:30-6:30 am were indeed contractions or if I'd just eaten something that didn't agree with me. But to be on the safe side, I hopped in the shower while Jared sat, droopy eyed, with his stopwatch in hand, attempting to keep time of my waves of discomfort. Eventually, by the time the sunlight began spilling into the bedroom, the tightening & cramping began to fade & I never felt another one for the rest of the morning. 

I have to admit, it was all kind of exciting. A new life--right at our fingertips. 

But you know what else that kind of surprise will do to you at 2:30 in the morning, when you thought you had a whole two weeks left to tie up the loose ends on your baby to-do list? It'll bring to your attention REAL quick just exactly what you don't have done. Those last few items you haven't dropped into the hospital bag--crap! The instructions you meant to type out for the grandparents who will be taking care of your first born--whoops! The hospital favors, sitting downstairs in the craft room, half assembled--dang nabbit!

I'll tell you one thing, the second that last belly pain dissolved away with the breaking of dawn, this momma was running around the place like a mad woman, getting all those loose ends tied into perfectly, pink, little, polka dot bows. Who knew so much could be accomplished by 8 a.m.?

Hospital favors--the ones that will announce our little girl's name to the world--CHECK!

It's no secret that Jared & I like to keep our baby names a secret. We do this for a couple of reasons: 1) We think everything is just a little more fun when there's a surprise spin on it & 2) We don't really care to hear what other people think of the name we have so carefully chosen. I never want the outside influence--{whether it be a snide remark or a facial expression} of someone besides my husband to sway my feelings on a name we absolutely love. 

So we keep it between ourselves. And it works for us. And we have a lot of fun with it. Taking an already amazing day & sprinkling just a tad more excitement & anticipation on it--I'm 'bout it.

Here's how we announced our little boy's name to family & friends who waited on pins & needles in the hospital waiting room: 

"Jett" plane favors to hand out to everyone

His name was printed on the back of the package & it made for such a sweet keepsake!

And since for nine months our baby girl has gone by the sweet little nickname of Jumping Bean, we thought it only fitting that pink jelly beans be incorporated in the announcement of her real name to those who will once again wait on pins & needles in that same hospital waiting room. Attached to these jelly bean jars {& hidden in this photo} are little tags with our girl's beautiful name printed upon each one of them.

And as soon as some real contractions start rolling in-- ones I don't have to sit up in the wee hours of the night, googling whether they are real or not, as soon as we are holding a brand new life in our very arms--I promise the name game will be over & we'll fill you in!

Happy {Memory Lane} Monday!