Catching Up

Half way through the pregnancy and my how time has flown by! It's different with this pregnancy, but I guess that is no surprise as I did not have a four year old while pregnant with our first. Combine family life with work and things just got a little more hectic. Overall I am feeling good and enjoying the changes that are happening to our little family. Elise for one is so excited and seems to already love her little sis very much. Yes, you read right we are having another GIRL! I am thrilled, hubby is shocked but equally excited of course, and Elise is over the moon about having a little sis.

Backing up a bit...weeks back we went in for our anatomy screening to see how everything is developing with the baby and of course to find out who is in there! Days leading up to the big ultrasound I found myself referring to the baby as she or sissy. In fact when we went to the ultrasound appointment I said to the technician that I hoped we would be able to find out the gender as our first daughter did not show herself until two months before delivery. Right then and there I was thinking girl! The funny thing was in terms of names we had picked out a boys name, had no idea at all for a girls name, and I was drawn to all things little man for nursery ideas. After many minutes into the ultrasound the technician blurts out, it's a little girl! I swear I saw hubby's mouth drop open in shock and he began scrutinizing the image on the screen, searching for what surly was a boy. I on the other hand I could not stop smiling in total delight. Don't get me wrong, I would have loved to have a little boy but I have always seen myself as being a mom to two little girls. After more routine measuring the technician checked again, just to please hubby I am sure, and there clear as day was our girl.

Next came the hard part, choosing a name for her. With our first I knew fairly quickly that I wanted to name her Elise. I had a slight obsession with the name due in part for my love of the movie First Wives Club (Goldie Hawn's Character's name was Elise). This time around however we were at a total loss for names! We opened up Pandora's box and invited friends and family to give us their best name ideas to try and get some kind of direction. We searched though baby name books and websites, tried on a few for size, but still nothing seemed totally right. Just when we thought we would sign the birth certificate with Baby as a first name, my fabulous Auntie Carol gives us her list. At the top of the list is the name Madison and it started to click that this is our little girls name. Next came the middle name and we went with a name that matches Elise's middle name Ellen, and chose Elaine. Both Ellen and Elaine are a form of Helen (my grandmothers name) and means shining light. We are happy to have a name for our little girl, Madison Elaine!

Now onto the nursery design!!! I am thinking along the lines of Palm Springs/Lilly Pullitzer.