The Name Game.

We should have known.

I think it was a sign.

Literally the day after we found out about bean, we started discussing and debating and dreaming of names.

Boy names.  Girl names.

I tried to predict every possible nickname that may come of each of the names discussed and whether or not in 10 years, bean would get teased because of his or her initials or a shortened version of their first or middle name or a combination of all of these.

But just seconds later, we had one.  A girls name that is.  Wow.  There are some days we can't agree on what to have for dinner in such a short period of time.

We should have known.

Boy names were such a different story.  We couldn't agree.  Kevin would suggest one.  I'd wrinkle my nose. 

"I don't think so." I'd simply say.

And so I'd give it a shot and suggest a name.

"Do you want him to get beat up in 4th grade?"  Kevin would laugh and say.

And back and forth this little debacle went.  An athlete would come on TV, and Kevin would suggest that name.  Almost as if he was trying to name a Dallas Cowboys quarterback in the making...and giving bean an "athletic" sounding name gave him better odds of getting those good quarterback genes.

Well, we should have known that being able to agree on a girls name so easily was a sign.  The fact that we couldn't agree on boys names was a given.

A given that bean had to be a girl.  And indeed, bean is a girl. 

No Dallas Cowboys quarterback, but maybe a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader.

Wait - on second thought.  No.  Scratch that.  No Dallas Cowboys cheerleader either.  I've seen those outfits those cheerleaders wear and there's no way she'd be allowed to leave the house in that.  But rest assured, she'll grow up to love the Cowboys just like her dad.  Or at least be able to tolerate watching them on TV each Sunday, just like her mom.

And so, within minutes of leaving the doctors office, after just finding out bean was a girl, we easily agreed on what her name should be.  Something that would be timeless.  Something that would fit her as a baby and through all the years of her life until she had her own grandbabies some day.

At first I thought we may keep her name a surprise.  But we decided against it.  It was just too hard to keep a secret... and we were just too excited to not share it.

So, in a matter of minutes, and one doctor's appointment later, we found out we are having a daughter.  A baby girl.

And her name, Olivia.

Olivia Kay Schamberger.

But we still call her bean sometimes, because that lil' nickname seems to have stuck.  For now at least.

Here we are.  Me and bean.  22 weeks.

And here we are this week...24 weeks.  The start of month number six.

It's hard to believe we're five months through...Each day gets more and more real and one day closer to her arrival.

We are still furiously working on the nursery...I think, for now anyways, the major projects are done.  Or I should say everything that was on the list has been built and/or painted or both :)  We still have lots to finish...rug, curtains, bedding, accessories...but in comparison to what we've done thus far, those things seem less daunting.  We'll see if my theory proves to be true...

Speaking of daunting, we are still looking for daycare.  I could probably write an entire post on this topic alone, but I won't bore you.  Let's just say it is proving to be a bit more difficult than I imagined... proximity to our jobs, proximity to home, hours, experience, cost, food programs, the list of things to consider when selecting the perfect daycare is endless.  Of course, not to mention at the very top of this list and most important, is someplace where you feel completely comfortable with leaving your baby all day.  Like I said, daunting.  But I know, it will all work out.  Somehow.  We'll find the perfect place for little bean.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves...for now, her perfect place is right where she's at.