Foreword side note: I failed to send you guys off to my friend Amanda’s for a Love Song Extravaganza a few days ago! But since I’d just come home from the hospital with a newborn, you forgive me, right?
Amanda’s Musings atSeriouslyare as delightful as her sweet and refreshingly matter-of-fact personality. Super delightful. Her “Lerve Songs Extravaganza” started withthis explanation here, and Hero Hubs and yours truly kicked off the next day withour Top Ten List right here.You can still enjoy good internet content if it’s a few days past the born-on date, right?
So. I am sure many of you would like to hear a detailed explanation of why our baby boy’s name is not Kiwano, or Nathaniel, or any of the other lovely names that were suggested when we asked for help. {I will here interrupt to admit apologetically to dear Laura Anne that Kiwano was never actually up for consideration. Forgive us. 🙂 }
Several of the names you guys suggested were at the top of the list for us — I especially liked Caleb and Ethan. The hubs wasn’t a huge fan of Caleb, and when he #1 discovered that Ethan was one of the most popular names last year and #2 thought about his feelings toward the only Ethan he knows of (actor Ethan Hawke) that name quickly lost favour. I liked Owen a lot too, but the Hubs thinks Owen Wilson is goofy. Bryson or Bryce was on the list for a while, too, I think.
It seemed that we each liked several suggestions, but we never both loved the same suggestion at the same time. There was just some X factor that we were struggling to find. For a while we fancied Lachlan, but since the meaning is “from the land of lochs” and this little one, unlike the Bear, would not be born in Scotland, it just didn’t seem right. Luke was very high on the list for quite some time, and was pretty close to being the one at a few points.
Then one day (very close to d-day) the Hubs said, “What do you think of the name Blake?” I paused to ponder the name, said it aloud and coupled it with our surname, pondered it some more and decided I loved it. Then it dawned on me: the beautiful thing that the Hubs didn’t realise was that Blake was my maternal grandfather’s name. My grandfather, my Mom’s eldest brother, his son, and his son are all Blakes. When I called my Mom to tell her it was on the list and ask her opinion, she was in tears, so we thought it was probably a keeper.
The name has two opposite meanings: fair/pale/bright or dark. As I’ve taken time to consider the multiple meanings, I’ve thought about the instructions of Jesus to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. I pray that in the years to come this little one will have the wisdom to appropriately navigate whatever might come his way. And may he live as a bright and shining light for Jesus!
His middle name, for those of you who might not know, is my maiden name, and this choice was also Hero Hubs’ suggestion. The Bear carries his grandfather’s name and of course the paternal surname, so HH liked the idea of connecting this little one to the maternal side of the family. The most common meaning I’ve found for Darrow has been wielder of the spear. We pray that this little one would indeed fight the good fight of faith for the kingdom of God.
But more than just focusing on the specific meaning of the name, as I have felt a tendency to do in these forty-plus weeks, I’ve also been stirred to consider the bigger picture, the greater story. A grandfather I never had the privilege of meeting, another I knew very little of — they are both a part of the story of this child. His Dad who looked up on a sunny afternoon with a name in his heart, my Mom who wept over Skype as I whispered the possibility — this little Blake is part of a story that goes back and back and back, and will hopefully stretch forward and forward and forward. The lives we are given are an invitation to be a part of the life that has already been happening, since the Creator of the Universe first said Let there be and there was.
And into this family, this place, this time, in God’s perfect timing, this stanza in the symphony of life has begun to play its notes. With crescendo and decrescendo, pauses and rests and refrains, this one’s opportunity, this one’s moment, this one’s song has begun. Overjoyed to be on this side of the prelude, we hear the soft and sweet first notes and rejoice.
A Blake by any other name would probably be as sweet…but we find joy in welcoming him into our song and our story.
Iam halfway through the typing out of the labour story. Actually, knowing how long I take to get through a story I might not quite be halfway yet. But I promise it’s coming. Hopefully tomorrow.
In the meantime, I thought you might be happy for me to peek my head into the blogosphere again to let you know that Baby Blake is doing exceeding and abundantly well. He had a vaccination yesterday. He cried ever-so-briefly, and I managed not to cry. {Probably because I remembered when we walked home from the Bear’s first vaccinations in Edinburgh — he was fine and I was crying — and decided not to watch, and instead prepared to nurse him happy afterwards.}
Like most wee tykes, he lost a few grams in those first days of life, but was already gaining weight again by the time we left hospital. Yesterday at the vaccination he weighed a good 200 grams (7 oz.) above his birth weight. I felt like a super mom and HH bought me a celebratory cappuccino muffin on the way home.
We also had a couple of great nights of sleep last night and the night before…after a late evening (10:30ish) feed, he just woke us once for a good feed at 3 am, and then we all enjoyed sleeping until 6 or 7. Please let this continue…
As the Bear would put it, we’re excited to be wishing Blakey a Happy Birdie! Well done on a stellar first week on the outside!
Happy Birdie, Blakey!
And in case you’re wondering how the Bear is handling all the Baby Change around here…
We think our little superhero big brother is doing just fine.
Wow, you guys. Blessed and thankful are two words that don’t even barely begin to describe how I feel about this little guy that we’ve been graced with. But those words will have to do because limited sleep and an aching body tend to limit my capability of thinking of words more profound than amazing and wonderful. What an incredible gift.
Blake is doingamazinglywell, settling in to life in our family. We came home from the hospital on Saturday, much to the Bear’s delight. It is really great to get started and begin to find our rhythm as a family of four.
Thanks in part to a little bit of experience, a lot of helping hands, and answered prayer, this beginning seems to be so much easier than the Bear’s. Blake is already nursing very well and I’m looking forward to finding out how much he weighs when we’re at the hospital for a vaccination tomorrow. {Did I tell you the nurses were calling him “Fatty” and he was the biggest baby in the ward while we were there?} He also gave us a couple of good stretches of sleep in the night last night — about three hours once and two and a half the next round. Score!
HH’s folks arrived on Sunday and you know the special place in my heart that gets touched when I see grandparents with their grandchildren. It is just so, so lovely. We are really glad they’re here. More on that later.
The Bear is handling the transition, although I think the upheaval of our “normal” life and schedule have been a bit of a challenge — he has started to use some faces and display some attitudes that my mother-in-love says are very much the manners of a two-year-old. He is slowly but surely learning the new normal. He liked coming to visit me in the hospital but didn’t like it when he realised he was leaving again and I wasn’t. Along with appropriate discipline, he is getting extra bedtime stories, extra treats, extra attention and extra love. Grace for a Bear in transition.
He finds Baby Brother interesting and would like to give him toys (which we have to advise against at this stage, of course) and is happy to give him a wave and an occasional kiss. And he thinks baby brother’s belly button (the part that hasn’t come off yet from the umbilical cord) looks like poo poo. Very disturbing to the Bear.
Hero Hubs, who just last night was busy calculating his average speed on the way to the hospital Thursday morning, is more of a hero every day. The laundry is done and things are moving along and getting done around the house (of course with the help of Agnes, and especially HH’s Mom who is cooking meals!) and he is still helping (as much as you’re able to when you’re not lactating) day and night to keep our baby boy happy and help me though it all. I’m so thankful for him I get teary.
And, finally, I am a very happy mother of two. I’ve been taking regular pauses for thankfulness that regularly bring me to tears — partly because I’m overwhelmed with these blessings, partly because giving birth and starting to nurse a little one are some great ways to take your hormones for a spin. I’m opening this little MacBook for the first time in many-a-day and for those of you who know me, that’s a significant point of interest. Resting and recovering from the (slightly traumatic) speedy delivery has taken priority. I trust you guys have patience for me!
I can’t wait to share more photos and especially share the labour story when I have a moment to sit still and type it out. “How to Have a Baby in 60 minutes or Less” and “My TV Birth Story” are appropriate titles I’ve been pondering. 🙂
Thank you so much for the encouragement, the sweet wishes and the congratulations. This grace-filled and peaceful transition is an answer to so many prayers — many thanks to many of you for praying them!
Although I don’t have the energy to type out a detailed update or labour story for you just yet, I do have the energy to share some photos of this amazing little guy that has finally graced us with his presence on the outside!
Here’s Blake!
Just as we expected, God’s perfect timing in every detail.
Your sweet comments and congrats have been wonderful, friends. {HH was afraid my Facebook was going to break when I opened it. I’ve never had 44 comments on a status update before!} Thank you for celebrating with us!
Can’t wait to share the stories with you guys! Joy!
Hope you haven’t been clicking the refresh button all day, waiting to hear the news! If so, sorry for the delay. I was hoping to upload the video which would allow you to be a part of the special moment, and sometimes figuring out how to do these types of things takes a while. Jet lag doesn’t speed up the process, but having a Hero Hubs around sure does help!!
Before I tell you anything else, PLEASE look at my adorable niece. Cutest. Ever.
I am so SO so SO delighted to finally get to meet her. She has an infectiously adorable personality. She giggles and claps her hands and pulls up and dances and is so sweet if I don’t stop talking about her all of you will have a cavity. The Bear has demonstrated excellent gentle and share skills when she has been around, which has been great to see! He’s going to be a wonderful Big Brother Bear!
Okay, I promise we’ll head to the news now. But isn’t she adorable?
As an intro to the video, I’ll tell you that while for the last few weeks I was almost convinced this babe would be a lassie, for about 48 hours, I have suddenly felt completely certain that, while still a Collie, this babe is in fact a laddie. Perhaps it has been the fact that this pregnancy has been so similar to the last one. Perhaps it’s the fact that the kicks now feel like they’re coming from a rugby player and not a ballerina. Perhaps it was a whisper from this little one’s Creator. I suddenly felt like I knew.
With family gathered Tuesday night, we decided to open the envelope and I was of course nervous and felt like I couldn’t, but was afraid if we let the Bear open it he might tear it up and then we still wouldn’t know. So we placed the envelope in the care of my sister, and she eagerly did the honours!
In the last moments as she looked up at me before opening the envelope and making the announcement, (just before my brother began taking the video below with his iPhone) I announced with great certainty,
“It’s a boy. I KNOW it’s a boy.”
Would you care to click play and find out if I was right?
So that’s the news from Atlanta! The Bear is going to be an awesome big brother to an awesome little brother next year! It’s hard to explain why, but little brother just feels so right. We are stoked, and we look forward to introducing you in February!! Coming soon, to a jungle-themed nursery near you!
xCC
P.S. Hope you’re enjoying this week of {Thanks}giving! Please tune in tomorrow for one voice in the chorus who won’t be singing alto or soprano! Hope you enjoy a thank-filled day!
After the time I spent pondering the ethics of prenatal testing and reading and thinking about all things prenatal, I might find it more exciting and special than the average pregger that baby has reached fetal viability. We’ve reached week 25 of this pregnancy, and knowing that babies can survive outside the womb, even as early as this, holds a whole host of thoughts and emotions for me. It is wonderful and exciting to think that we’ve made it so far, all seems well, and risk of miscarriage is significantly reduced. It is painful and sad to think, as kicks get stronger and movements bigger, that lives are still ended at this stage.
But it is even more wonderful and exciting to think that in dark and secret, someone fearfully and wonderfully planned before the dawn of creation is being knit together. He or she will change the world just by being a part of it. My world is forever different already.
And inside this envelope, there is written some news, already known to One Almighty, and one OB-GYN who wrote it down:
Will it be said of this little life He is changing the world or She is changing the world?
I stared at a stack of envelopes for a moment, as we were on our way out the door for the appointment. Pink and Blue stared back at me.
Knowing Hero Hubs and the Bear were waiting at the door, I sighed and smiled,
And chose purple.
May the Lord continue His good work, and may we rejoice to see it (and know of it) in His good timing.
I create resources to help people find deeper, more meaningful relationships with God through pursuing, pondering, and prayer. The "Shop" link above will take you to the home of many of the lovely resources I’ve created to help you keep walking one day deeper with Jesus.
I create resources to help people find deeper, more meaningful relationships with God through pursuing, pondering, and prayer. The "Shop" link above will take you to the home of many of the lovely resources I’ve created to help you keep walking one day deeper with Jesus.