She Has A Name!

We haven't been too secretive with our little girl's name. Todd and I have been calling her by name for weeks, and we've gladly shared the name with anyone who asks, but we haven't officially announced it. Todd and I never really felt a reason to keep it secret. I did have hesitations in the beginning that if we shared the name and people didn't like it, that I would change my mind. But Todd and I have similar personalities when it comes to criticism - you tell us you don't like the name, it only makes us like it more. That's just how we roll I guess!

Contrary to popular belief, our daughter's name is not Alberta Pujols Stepp. I adore my husband, but even I had to draw the line on that one. She's destined to be a Cardinals fan, and I promised to buy her some St. Louis Cardinals onesies and t-shirts. He was good with that.

Alright, enough waiting. We are thrilled to announce that our daughter's name is...

Crosbi Adelle Stepp

Where did the name come from? Is the answer "I don't know" crazy? Because it's basically the truth. Todd and I had narrowed the name down to two names, Crosbi not being one of them. One night while talking to Todd's mom, she asked if we still liked the name Crosbi. I didn't know what she was talking about, but apparently a few years ago she asked me which baby names I liked and I told her I loved Crosbi for a girl. To this day I don't remember that conversation, and obviously never gave the name another thought, but as soon as I heard it again it felt right. I knew that was my little girl's name and I was so thankful Tracy remembered. 

What does Crosbi mean? Well, in all honesty I was set on the name before ever looking at the meaning. I know many people put a huge emphasis on the meaning of a name, as some believe it prophesies who their child will become. I don't completely agree with that line of thinking, but I was curious. I pulled out a baby name book and Crosbi (which comes from Crosby) means "By the Cross". The definition made me smile. I remember reading it, and praying that our daughter would always remember what was done for her at the cross and that as she lives her life, she would live in a way that would lead others to the cross. That has become my daily prayer for her.

So what about Adelle? Well, Todd and I both really like the singer Adele, but that's not where we got the name. Since I was little my dad always asked that if I had a little girl, that I would name her Ella after his favorite aunt. I never met his Aunt Ella, but her sister Ada, my grandmother was like a second mother to me. I wanted her name to be represented in some way. Trying to figure out how to combine the two, I just said the names together over and over until it clicked. Drop the "A" from both names, and you have Ad + Ell. Or Adelle. I love that these two special women will live on through our daughter's middle name.

So there you have it. We will welcome our little Crosbi Adelle to the world in November and we couldn't be more excited!

I'm ending my 26th week and for the most part I'm feeling good (except for those pesky leg cramps that still come and go.) I just can't believe I'll complete my second trimester this month. Crazy!

Those chubby cheeks keep expanding, but I'm becoming more okay with it. My friend Jenn (who is due four days before me) and I made a promise to each other that I would stop complaining about my face if she'll stop complaining about her thighs. Sounds like a good compromise!