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.