The following is an actual conversation that I had with my mother over the past few days:

Me:  Mom!  We finally settled on a name!  We're still working on the spelling but we have a name, Baby Girl! (Okay, so that's not really her name, but we did decide on one!)

Mom:  Oh, I love it!  I am so excited to finally start ordering things and having them monogrammed.  Let me know when you decide on the spelling.

The following day..

Me:  Mom, the name will be spelled B-a-b-y.

Mom:  Hm.  That's a lot of the same kind of name sounds in your house. 

Me:  Well, we love it and its what we have decided.

Mom:  Is the middle name still g-i-r-l?

Me:  Yes, and Cameryn isn't thrilled.  She really wanted to name the baby Ella and she cried when we told her that wouldn't be the name.  She does not like what we have decided.

Mom:  Well, you may change your minds still.

Me:  No.  We won't.  Baby Girl is her name.  There will be no more discussion about it at all.

Mom:  Laurin, it isn't a dog.  You don't have to be so crude.

Me:  {silence} 

Mom:  I guess Cameryn and I will just call her Ella!

Me:  {silence}

Mom:  Okay, I need to go.

***

Conversations like this one are what prompt me to write blogs like this about sly, unsolicited advice. My mom has had an opinion about the baby's name from day one - she really wanted me to use a family name because she didn't give me one.  The problem?  Our family names are not really 2012 friendly.  Her latest suggestions were Henrietta and Buelah.  Her past suggestions that we immediately shot down were Voyle and Olie (both male) and Viola and Doris (both female). 

My mom, though she named me Laurin Rae, always said that she should have named me Laurin Lee because Lee is a family name.  (I tease her because Laurin Lee is very porn star-ish.)  But, my name wasn't always going to be Laurin Rae.  My mom wanted to name me after my two grandmothers, Doris and Betty and I would be called Dorbett.  (I'll let the horror of that sink in for a little bit.)  My dad said absolutely not and would never agree to it, hence, how I got my name.

Chris and I chose Cameryn's name before we even knew the gender.  Naming our second child has not been as easy.  He said that the names I liked were strange (aka "trendy" names) while I thought the names that he chose were more of the traditional/popular variety.  Finally, after 18 long weeks with input coming from multiple directions, we finally have a name.  A name that we both love that we really want other people to love as well.  And, for some reason, the support, the excitement, that we expected and we so desperately want just isn't there. 

And I don't get it, I really, really don't. 

Our family was blessed with two more girls to love!  The girls, Anna Michaela & Laura Margaret, were born in Boston on Wednesay, December 1.  Their mom, Maggie, is a superhero for sure.  Their dad, Matt (Chris's brother), is a little overwhelmed but already head over heels for them.  Maggie will be able to go home this afternoon but the girls will have to stay in the hospital for another week or so.  Though overall healthy, Anna and Laura are in NICU as they are slightly premature.  Laura had an episode of apnea on Wednesday night (which is somewhat common since her lungs aren't fully developed.)  Both girls are currently on feeding tubes.  We had good news this morning that Anna was in a regular crib as she is now regulating her own temp.  Please say a prayer for them!  I can't wait to meet these precious babies!

Anna Michaela

Laura Margaret

Many of my friends have children the same age as Cameryn.  Many of them are pregnant; I know at least seven people who are pregnant right now (and there probably more who just aren't ready to fess up) or have just had their second child.  And they all keep asking, "Isn't it about time for you to have another one?" 

I love hearing what names people choose for their child.  I love shopping for baby things and going to baby showers.  I love going to the hospital and seeing the glowing Mom and scared Dad, but mostly I just love to hold those sweet babies and inhale all of their pureness.  They are soft, and squishy, and warm.  My favorite thing?  Picking them up and watching them curl their little legs back up in the fetal position.  Ahh, so sweet!

I'll admit it, I have baby fever.  I do want another child.  I think about what name I would give them (trust me, if you knew my husband you'd know why I have to start thinking about this now.  He wanted to name our child Neo.  Like Neo from The Matrix.)  I wonder if I could handle two children.  I wonder if I would ever sleep again.  I wonder if Cameryn would be sweet to the baby or if she would try to carry them around in a headlock like she does to her babydoll.   I wonder how I could possibly love another child as much as I do Cam. 

But I'm a planner, I have to plan these things.  And we can't do it now, really.  I have to wait until December for my yearly check-up before I can think about trying for another one.  Due to past issues, I'm at risk for bedrest because I could have a weak cervix.  I barely scraped by with Cameryn. 

Let's say everything goes well in December, we could start trying in January.  But, that month is out.  I got prego with Cam in January (on the first try) and I don't want my babies to be born in the same month.  February and March are out too, because that puts the baby born around the holidays and honestly, that's just too much going on every year because Cam's birthday is in October and Chris's birthday is in December.  I want each birthday to be special!

Maybe April, May or June?  At least them I wouldn't be big and pregnant in the South Carolina summer.  I guess that I should start banking my PTO at work (there's wishful thinking!) since being preg requires weekly visits to the doctor for a check up.

In the meantime, I guess I'll just have to get my baby fix shopping for baby shower gifts and inhaling the sweet scent of my BFF's new little guy.  Come to think of it, I should probably start banking sleep too....