naming babies and other thoughts

We are not good at naming babies.  I can't remember exactly when we settled on Hazel's name, but I think I was around 36 or 37 weeks.  I set a deadline for deciding on a name this time around because I wanted to tell our families over Christmas.  We get our moms a charm with the baby's initial for each grandchild, and I really wanted that to be part of the Christmas present.  And, now that the gift has been given and the name has been told...I can share it on the blog.

We have a list of about 15 girls names on my computer that I would add to every once in a while before we had Hazel.  (By the way, William is a fourth, so he was easy to name.)  Anyway, we have this list that we always try to pick a name from, but we can never decide on any from the list.  We narrow it down to about three names, and then we can't pick one.  Then, one day we hear another name (such as Hazel), and we just decided we like it and go with it.  So, that's what happened again.  We had it narrowed down to two names, but then we decided on a completely different one:

Eliza Grey

There are lots of reasons why we like it, but basically we like the meaning (pledged to God), it has a "Z" like Hazel, it has an "L" (which is a weird requirement that I have for all our kids' names...dont' know why), together the names represent two of our favorite books (Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice and Gandalf the Grey from Lord of the Rings).  I realize that I am showing what a nerd I am with these reasons, but oh well.

Here are a few pics...me at 30 weeks.  I'm not sure why my belly is such a weird shape in this picture...

Here are some kiddo shots.  This is just so typical...William making gun noises with his transformers, Hazel with her necklace, putting on my chapstick like lipstick.  Boys and girls (at least my boy and girl) are such different creatures.  I love their differences.

merry christmas

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.  For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things were created through him and for him.  And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.  And he is the head of the body, the church.  He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.  For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross"

Colossians 1: 15-20

O Bright Morning Star, shine in our hearts this Christmas.

Awake our souls and break our chains, that we may fly to you.

O Age Old Gift sent down to earth, wrap us in your wings.

Gather up your scattered children, in comfort and in peace.

O Image of the Invisible God, firstborn from the dead,

Reconcile our hearts to you, and let us love you still.

done and done

The Green Arrow is ready to go.  After one last attempt to find a green arrow costume online (in a kid size), I just dove in and made it.  Okay, really I ordered a bunch of stuff off amazon and made a few little things to go with it.  I ordered a peter pan costume, a bow and arrow set, and a black super hero mask.  And yes, that is my pregnant belly in the bottom of the first picture...oops.

Here's the stuff I ordered:

 

I made a little belt and sash with a quiver attached for the arrows and a littler holster for the Green Arrow's knife.  I have no idea if Green Arrow has a knife, but it came with the bow and arrow, and I thought it would be cute to have a place to put it. I managed to get my belly out of the shot this time.

 Here it is all ready to be wrapped...except for the red gloves which finally came in the mail today and some red boots (which are actually just red socks, but hopefully they'll work).

On two completely unrelated notes, William was a shepherd in his Christmas play today.  I may have been taking a video with my phone while also taking pictures with my camera in true crazy mom style.  No shame here.  I couldn't resist his cute shepherd outfit.

And, please wish me luck as we attempt to potty train this little lady right after Christmas.  I put her in a pull-up for the first time last weekend, and she proceeded to tee-tee in the pull-up, take it off, throw it in the garbage, and put on a new pull-up.  Then she said, "I get a new diaper".  Besides having both legs in one leg of the pull-up, she pretty much did the whole thing herself.  So, we may not be any closer to using the potty, but at least she can change her own diapers now.  We used the "3-Day Method" with William, and it worked really well.  We'll see how round two goes in a few weeks.

the green arrow

We haven't made a big deal of Santa, but somehow William knows all about him.  And, he asked him for three very specific things when he went to see him.  The first two were things he had seen at target- the bat cave and the bat wing.  The third was a green arrow costume.  Apparently, the green arrow is one of batman's friends.  I'm new to this superhero stuff, so I had to google him.  Unfortunately, there does not seem to be anyone else in the world who wants to dress up like the green arrow, and you can't just order a costume on amazon.

At first I thought maybe he was confused, and actually wanted a green lantern costume...which is available pretty much anywhere.  I asked him what the green arrow's uniform looked like and he said, "he wears a green hat with a red feather and a green shirt and red gloves and red boots and a bow and arrow".


Here he is, courtesy of google:




Last week at church, they asked the kids what their favorite Christmas present ever was, and William said his green arrow costume.  So, I guess I'll be making a green arrow costume.  I'll try to post some pictures when it's finished.