i always thought that naming a baby would be one of the most fun things about being pregnant but now i'm finding it to be a lot of work and not much fun.

we pretty much have a boys name picked-we had it to use the first time but obviously didn't end up needing it. boys names are easier to me because there seems to be less to pick from and therefore the decision is easier to make.

girls names are harder for some reason. there are quite a few that i like but am not really sold on and quite a few that i love but are also what everyone else in the world seems to be loving right now too. now, i'm not looking to name my kid some name that has never been used before but i also don't want them to grow up with 10 other "olivias", "isabellas" or "emmas" in their class. i mean, my name is jennifer after all and it was only the #1 name for my birth year-so i kinda know the feeling. i also don't want a name that dates them-like when everyone jumped on the mckenzie/madison bandwagon in the 90s. both are great names but you pretty much know their age by their name-not always but often.

anyway, i am also always hesitate to tell people the names i'm thinking of. not because i'm afraid of them getting "stolen" but because i really don't want to hear people's negative opinions of them. the reality is if we like a name enough we are going to use it anyway but still, i'm sensitive that way i suppose. it goes back to my underlying desire to be liked by all.

at any rate, here are the names rolling around my head for a girl:

hannah
jewel
everleigh
liliana (lily)
eva
isley
emelia (emy)

i'll keep our boy name to myself for now because we are pretty much set on it and i'm not sure gregg's ready to share it yet. besides, we may end up not needing it again :) 3 weeks from now we should know!

p.s. i am definitely open to suggestions!