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After months and months of deliberating over our little girl’s name, we have finally chosen one. We definitely were not quick about this process. We wanted to find the perfect name for our baby. After all, she’ll have it for the rest of her life! Now that we settled on this for sure, we couldn’t be more in love with our daughter’s name.
Eleanora Rose Blair
The name Eleanora (a form of Eleanor) is of Greek origin and means shining light. It may also be a derivative of the Greek name “Eleos” which means compassion. We both liked the name Eleanora as soon as we found it, but the meaning made us truly love it. I hoped to find a beautiful name that was also equally meaningful. We pray a shining light is exactly what our little girl’s life will be. We hope she is bright ray of light that impacts the world for the Kingdom of God. We also hope that her little heart will be one of compassion towards others, and that she will be one that is moved to action by love.
The name Rose, well, I probably don’t need to tell you what it means. We chose it mostly because it’s sweet and pretty. Plus, it was the only middle name that Jonathan liked at all from our very long list of possibilities. However, we do love the contrast of imagery it brings to her name. A rose is a lovely and fragrant bloom that has long been a symbol of love and beauty.
We thought we might wait until she’s born to announce her name, but now that we finally have a name we just couldn’t wait any longer. I also wanted to make sure we’d be able to change our minds once we saw her. I don’t think there’s any chance of that happening now. Eleanora has been the only name on our list for months, so we’ve had plenty of time to think about it. For a while I thought we might choose something a little different, especially since Jonathan really wanted something unique. Both of us have fairly common names (mine is very common for sure), so we definitely didn’t want her to be one of 10 girls with the same name in her class. I wanted something classic, long, elegant and meaningful. I think we managed to satisfy both of our requirements pretty well! (I also love that Eleanora has so many cute nicknames too! Elle will probably be my favorite.) Still, even though we have a name it feels strange for me to call her Eleanora. I guess it’s because I haven’t seen her sweet little face yet. I don’t have to wait that much longer though!
We are so excited to meet our little Eleanora Rose in 12 weeks or so! We love her so much already and are so thankful that we’ve been entrusted to be her parents.
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It frightens me sometimes when I think about the kind of world our little girl will grow up in. Simplicity is scarce. Busy is everywhere. We have sacrificed quality for quick. There is a lot of social and not a lot of personal. I can hardly navigate my own heart through all that is meaningless on the path of purpose, but now I’ll need to teach her to do the same. It is easier than ever before to feel like we are known, “liked” and part of a group. We can present ourselves in whatever way we like and easily hide behind a facade of fake. What’s scary is that in the pursuit of making ourselves bigger and better than we really are, we can actually succeed at it! All the while we are wasting our lives on things that don’t matter in the end. Who we’ve made ourselves will fade, and when we’re gone there won’t be anything of lasting impact left behind. I don’t want to live that way, do you? I want to safeguard my heart and my family’s against wasting our lives, little bits at a time.
There is one thing, however, that I can tell myself and those around me: Know who you are and who you are not. Louie Giglio said it perfectly in the quote pictured above. We are not the center of the universe. We aren’t even supposed to be the star of our own social media profiles. Louie also explains in the book I AM NOT BUT I KNOW I AM, “Jesus became small so that we could reach our highest and fullest potential in Him. He came down to lift us up out of microscopic stories that only get swallowed up in the grave…He gave Himself for us so that we could die to self-fame, self-glory, self-effort, self-centeredness and the self-stories what are so quickly coming to an end.” Knowing His Story and our place in it frees us from a plethora of negative things in our social world that can pull us in. When we are so secure of ourselves in Him we are free from comparison, fear of rejection, jealousy, self-deception, the need to be noticed, judgmental hearts, big heads, dissatisfaction with what we have, feeling a need for fame, pressure to be “liked” and so many other things. What if you never really thought twice about anyone “liking” something you post…ever? When I get on social media, especially Instagram, I see so many people (including myself sometimes) crying out, “Like me! Love me! Accept me!” What’s absolutely ludicrous for the Christ-follower is that the Ultimate Someone already has. And in Him lies true satisfaction for everything we crave.
John the Baptist said it well in John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” What if we all approached what we “share” with the world with that in mind? What if our goal was to make much of Him? I hope that in all things, I can show our little girl how to do that. I hope to help her on the journey to see who she is in Christ. As I’m preparing for motherhood, my prayer is that my daughter will never try to be someone she’s not. I want her to understand the immense value in her God-created uniqueness. That’s a challenge for me too…practicing what I want to preach. God alone makes us who we are. Knowing that changes everything. We can be completely unapologetic and wholly unashamed of who we are when we have all the acceptance we need in Christ. Hopefully we’ll all be reminded of that when our hearts start to turn to lesser glories. God’s glory is ultimate, lasting and far above all we can comprehend. Let’s get on board with His story instead of our own.
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A lot has changed in the past 3 weeks! I can’t believe the final trimester is here! I’m so happy to reach this point. I want to high-five our baby and say, “Yay, good job! We got this little girl!” That will have to wait until she comes out though. As for updates, I had my glucose screening test around 24 weeks and failed to pass by one point. I was so disappointed, but I passed the full 3-hour test with flying colors last week. They didn’t even keep me the whole time because it was going so well! My belly button has officially become an outie this week too. It couldn’t decide for a few days and then popped. I don’t mind, but it does look funny! It’s funny to watch my stomach grow and grow and grow! It’d definitely very round now. I looked back at what I thought was a big bump around 22 weeks and laughed! I’m sure I’ll think it’s funny how big I think I am now later on too. Speaking of getting bigger, we started looking for a larger vehicle last Monday. We’ve never bought a car before, so it was all new to us. Jonathan has had his truck since he was 16 and I bought my little 2-door from my parents part way through collage. Figuring out what will work for our budget and our family is interesting! Really, anything will be better than my tiny little car but we pray the Lord leads our decision making in that regard! I can’t say I’m not looking forward to something with more room…even if its going to be taken up by big bulky baby things!
How big is baby: The size of a head of a head of lettuce | 27 weeks 3 days
How I’m feeling: I’m feeling pretty LARGE these days. Little lady has grown a ton these past few weeks and I can tell by the size increase of my belly!
Weight gain/ Loss: I think it’s about 13 lbs now. It’s hard to tell on my crappy scale. I need a new one.
Maternity clothes: Just my shorts and skinny jeans. I wrote more about that here.
Stretch Marks: Maybe? I freaked out last week when I thought I saw one, but I’m really not sure. There is some kind of line going down past my belly button, but I just can’t tell at this point.
Sleep: Ah, I love sleep! I’m enjoying sleeping well these days. I’m sure it won’t last, so I’m trying to make sure I take advantage of it while I can!
Diet/ Cravings/ Aversions: No craving still! Fresh fruit and veggies make me feel great, so I try to eat as much healthy goodness as possible. I still don’t love much meat, but I never really have. I will say that I can’t eat very much at one time without feeling ridiculously full. I thought you were supposed to be able to eat a lot when you’re pregnant? I guess I was wrong! I try to munch all day to make sure I get plenty of calories, but I’m not always so good at remembering to eat when I’m not hungry.
Movement: Little lady sure is a kicker! It really hurts me sometimes. I can also tell when she decides to dance on my bladder…so fun! I’m grateful to know she’s doing well in there with all her moving around. Still, she loves to start playing right as I’m about to doze off for the night. I secretly thinks she knows and is doing it on purpose!
What I’m loving: I guess I’m starting to love my bump. It took a while to get used to but now I don’t just look like I’ve had McD’s one too many times. Hehe! I also LOVE that we’re getting closer to a name for our little miss. I think we’ve finally narrowed down the first name and now we just have to find a middle. We’re really slow, I know!
Symptoms: My back has starting hurting a little more when I sit in my office chair for long periods of time. Bending down is also not so great. Last week I spend hours and hours in the flower beds pulling weeds. Let’s just say my back wasn’t too happy with me the next day. The yard looks nice though!
Exercise: Well, I’m sad to say working out is a LOT harder than it used to be. I have always loved walking and going for a run, but it’s just not fun anymore. Sadness. I try to get out and walk for at least 15 minutes most days and do strength once or twice a week.
What I’m looking forward to: I can’t wait to finally have her name picked out! Being in the 3rd trimester is pretty exciting too! THE END IS NEAR! From what I hear, the last few months feel like the longest though. Still, I’m not sure they can be worse than being so sick for the first 4 months. I hope I don’t eat my words on that!
Best moment of the week: I can’t say there’s one per se, but it was absolutely wonderful to have a busy week and still feel great. I’m hoping that trying to be in shape and eating healthy pays off for the next few months as well. I haven’t had any trouble with work or feeling like I’ve done too much (minus the yard work last week) and I’m so thankful!
Mood: Great! I feel much more refreshed than I did just after we moved. Having our house set up for the most part probably has something to do with that too.
Woohoo! We made it to the final stretch…and I mean that quite literally! Of course, we took these photos on the most ridiculously icky, windy day. Still, I wanted to document this milestone. Since this is our first, I’ve either been enthralled or repulsed by all the nuances of pregnancy. But right now I feel pretty proud that my body has sustained a little life for this long! She punches and kicks very hard, so I’m pretty sure she’s growing just fine! (That’s what all the carrots, hummus, nuts spinach and kale have been for little one! You’ll love them one day!) Even though pregnancy is no walk in the park I feel very blessed to be active and healthy. I try not to take one moment of this journey for granted.
Although we’re tremendously excited about our little girl’s arrival soon, we are soaking up the last days just the two of us have together. Our world is about to change in ways we can’t even comprehend yet. Sure, it will be wonderful and so worth it, but also an adjustment nonetheless. I have no illusions that babies are angels 24/7. (My mom had my youngest siblings when I was 11 and 14…I remember everything vividly. My baby brother even shared a room with me for a while! I’m no stranger to the nastiest of blowouts either.) Very soon our perfectly, imperfect daughter will grow our love exponentially and help us understand the meaning of sacrifice more deeply. I can only imagine how she will reveal my own deep-rooted selfishness – as if marriage doesn’t do that enough already! John Piper says in This Momentary Marriage, “God’s primary intent isn’t to make you happy, but holy.” I think the same will be true about raising little ones. (Obviously, I don’t know yet!) I will continue to be stretched long after these 9 months are through. Regardless, we are so exited to welcome this joy and challenge into our lives, fully aware how greatly we will need God’s grace and wisdom. We have no idea what we’re doing, but trust that God will lead us along the way. It’s bound to be an exciting roller-coaster!
It’s almost time little one! Our hearts and arms are getting ready for you!
A huge thank you to my phenomenal sister for taking these for me…and putting up with my pickiness!
Finding things to wear during pregnancy has been a little interesting for me. I suppose I assumed that having a baby bump makes everything cute, but that is not necessarily the case. To say it’s been a challenge to find cute outfits that fit and are comfortable would be a major understatement, at least for me. What I wear has always been a creative outlet for me and I didn’t want to give up on that entirely for 9 months. I also hoped to find an alternative to purchasing a whole new wardrobe that I can only use for a few short months. My goal has been to wear my pre-pregnancy items as much as I possible. If I need to buy something new, I try to make sure it’s something I can use after the baby comes as well. I normally don’t post anything about fashion or clothes. I’m not a stylist or style blogger by any stretch of the imagination! However, I have found a few things that have worked for me pretty well thus far and thought maybe these tips might be helpful to someone else out there too.
Disclaimer: God has created everyone so uniquely beautiful. Each individual is so distinct, so things are bound work differently depending on the person. Comparing ourselves to one another is never beneficial. Our bodies, our lives and really everything about us wonderfully unique. I try not to ever assume or think that what has worked for me will work for you, and vice versa. So again, this is simply what I’ve found helpful in my own journey.
1. Find as much as possible in your own closet.
After finding out we were expecting I took an inventory of my closet to see what might work for pregnancy. About 6 months or so before that fateful November day, I started trying to keep pregnancy in mind if I needed anything new. Of course, I didn’t stick to it, but I did get some things I might have otherwise passed up. (Hello, if I’m going to buy it I might as well be able to wear it!) Once we were a few months in, I removed everything that wasn’t going to work during pregnancy. I absolutely love tailored dressed and waist-defining styles, so much of my current wardrobe had to go live in the spare closet for a while. Once the absolute no’s were removed, I made sections in my closet: yes, maybe and probably not. I left quite a few things in the “probably not” section because I had no idea how I was going to change or what might work. The “yes” section was front and center, so I could always grab at least something that would look ok…and most importantly keep me comfortable.
2. Only buy the maternity things that are a MUST.
Obviously, my stomach and hip area has changed quite a bit in the last few months. Regular jeans are a joke on me now. (Believe me, I tried my old ones on a few days ago! It made me feel super great…not!) The only maternity items I absolutely must have are bottoms. I picked up 1 pair of skinny jeans early on because the belly band/ pants-extender things never worked for me. Plus, maternity jeans are the BEST EVER! Stretch heaven I tell you! I almost (note the almost!) don’t want to ever stop wearing them. Since the heat has finally arrived, I realized I needed to get some shorts as well. One black and one white should suffice. I’m not crazy about either pair because they’re rather baggy, but at least I won’t sweat to death this Summer!
3. Flowy tops and dresses are your friend.
I just have to say that maternity tops and dresses look AWFUL on me. Instead, I’ve found loose-fitting pieces in own closet and from my regular stores. If it’s still a little snug on the belly, I just go a size up. I’m not going back to my normal self right away anyway, but I know I won’t want to wear maternity tops post-baby. It seems like non-materntiy clothes are just look better on and off the hanger anyway. Plus, fashion these days is much more suitable for pregnancy that in years past. I lived in the 3 shift dresses I owned for months. Now they are getting a little snug, but hey, they lasted for over 6 months! Anything A-line or with an empire waist is great as well. Really, dresses are what I wear more often than not. I already had a good bit that work well for me or that I make work. Dresses have worked the best by far. They’re comfortable and I feel pretty good in them for the most part! When I do purchase a new dress, I let my sister try it on (we’re really close to the same size) to make sure it will look great post-baby too. I try to keep nursing in mind too. (That will be interesting as well.)
4. Borrow as much as you can.
My sweet sister and bestie have so graciously lent me a few things that work for me from their own closets. A few things can go a long way! I’m the first one of my close friends to have a little one, so I don’t have any mama’s to borrow from. Maybe you do! If so, take advantage of it! I’ve been so thankful for the pieces I’ve borrowed. Sometimes it is nice to put on something new, even if it’s only new-to-me! Once I get near the bitter end of the 3rd trimester, I may try to borrow more maternity things just to get by. We’ll see when that time comes I guess!
5. Embrace the change!
This is definitely one thing I’m preaching to myself over and over again. In all honesty, it’s been hard to adjust to what feel like changes that have come overnight. What worked great yesterday might not tomorrow. That’s ok. Sometimes it’s hard not to get discouraged after trying on 4 or 5 different outfits in attempt to find ANYTHING that makes me feel good. There are days when I feel like a fat lard and that nothing will ever look good…EVER! (Yeah, I’m dramatic sometimes. Can we blame it on pregnancy hormones? Ok, great.) One particular morning I woke up and freaked out over what I thought was a stretch mark. It’s then that I have to learn (and learn again and again) to step back and remember what a privilege it is to carry this little miracle. I hope to continually have a spirit of thankfulness and gratitude, but I’m not perfect. Even though I am so blessed, my heart still manages to find ungratefulness and discontent. It’s a daily challenge to focus on Jesus, on what matters and to choose joy instead of worrying about things I can’t control. As long as the baby and I are healthy and growing, that is all that matters right now. I’m sacrificing my body for the sake of another. Albeit, it is a very challenging journey but it is such a beautiful one as well.
That’s about all I have for now! I still have a 97 days, so I may have to do another one for when things start getting really, really big! I hope I can make it with what I have, but we will see! Do you have anything that has worked well for you? I’d love to hear!
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Beautiful. Love it, Jennifer – and it even looks pretty together. Congrats!
I always loved Penelope too Mackenzie! The hubs didn’t love it though! It’s such a gorgeous name! 🙂 And thanks!
Thanks Rissi! We love it! 🙂
aww, that is such a gorgeous and perfect name. I can’t wait to see pictures when little eleanora rose comes into the world! 🙂
I LOVE this name!!!!!!!! I love unique, classic sounding names with a beautiful and feminine meaning. Good job! And Elle is the perfect nickname. I have had my future little girl’s name picked out since I was a little girl and fortunately, my man loves it too. Just need to get the ring on the finger and the bun in the oven 😉 I have been wanting to call my girl Felicity Faye for years and years and have not once ever changed my mind 🙂 Felicity means happiness/joy (my middle name) and Faye means pixie/fairy (Faye is my mom’s middle name).
What a sweet name! I love it 🙂 We were planning on keeping the name private until she was born as well, but we couldn’t handle it! We’re so glad we told everyone though, so so sweet hearing friends and family talk about Penelope Darling! Plus, they’re able to get sweet monogrammed or personalized gifts now 😉 Congratulations again!!
Aww how sweet! Our daughter is Audrey Rose! Love your name that you picked!
Thank you Evannah! Aw, so sweet. Felicity is a beautiful name too! I wish I had one picked out! It was really hard to find one we both loved!
Thank you so much Marcia!
I love her name!! It’s so, so gorgeous! And I love how you want her to live out her meaning for the Lord. <3