name (neym)

-Noun

1. a word or a combination of words by which a person, place or thing, a body or class, or any object of thought is designated, called, or known.

If you type in 'baby names' on Google you get 97,300,000 results in 0.20 seconds. Although I have not scoured the entire list, I made a good dent and we still have yet to come up with a name. Okay, okay, by we, I mean Justin. He won the bet fair and square so he will have the final say but that doesn't mean I can't verbalize my favorites and help him along!

When it came to picking out Kaden's name, it was fairly easy. I had always loved the name and knew that if I had a little boy someday that he would be a Kaden. I would also push for the middle name of Milo. (No matter what you hear from my husband, I can compromise) Since Justin wasn't fond of Milo we went to the drawing board and came up with two options-Thomas (after my dad) or Oliver (no family releavance). Needless to say, Thomas was not the winner and this was due to a few comments made by a certain someone-I showed him! So Kaden Oliver it was and it fits him to a "T".

I never really thought beyond that first child. Sure, I had girl names that I liked but Audrey and Hartley were late comers to the game. I only really started thinking about them after Kaden was born and we were thinking about number 2. I just figured that I would have that "picture perfect" family- a mom and a dad with an older son to watch out for his little sister. However, my version of a "perfect" family will consist of a mom and a dad with two little boys that will best of friends through out their life and that will love their mommy so much!!

It isn't all Rainbows and Butterflies though, I won't lie, I cried when I found out it was a boy this time around. Partly because my baby had an identity and I could officially stop referring to it as an "it" or alternating between "he" and "she" like your weekly babycenter.com emails do. Partly because it is an overwhelming and amazing experience seeing this little thing that is growing inside of you, swallowing and moving around. Mostly because I wanted a girl. There I said it, I wanted a girl and I had names picked out and ready to be used, gosh darn it!

The disappointment is fading and it has now been 5 days since we found out that we are having a boy and although I am much more positive on the fact that I will have 2 little boys to "put" the toilet seat down after or try and teach them that putting your hands down your pants isn't polite (although no one should ever do that) or teach them that burping and farting are not allowed, especially at the dinner table-I still have a "Little Sister South" shirt that will go unused. On the postive side though I will have 2 boys that will build forts in our living room, that will shoot water guns in the house, to teach how to play basketball, that will be itching to go to MU games, who want to grow up and be just like their daddy. The more I think about it, the more I know this was how it was MEANT to be. And if I am meant to have a little girl, she will come along too.

So now all that is left, is to name this child. I am a planner, I am an organizer, I like everything to fall into place and this kid needs a name. I need to be able to plan for his arrival and not having a name, is almost as bad as not knowing what we were having!! This task has become more and more challenging as more and more names find themselves in the trash. Here are a few of my favorites (a couple of Justin's too) that we had to say no to for one reason or another.

• Adler
• Liam
• Greyson
• Leighton
• Braydon a.k.a. Brady
• Parker
• Caleb
• Asher

We do have a couple front runners (not listed so we can make a big reveal) and of course, I have my favorite but I we will all have to wait patiently (or not so impatiently) while my husband makes the decision. Don't **** this one up, Justin!