Apollo.

We didn't discuss names for this girl in much seriousness until the end of June. I sent Greg a text one day asking him to figure out what the Greek word for "redemption" or "redeemed" was. I was feeling so full of gratitude that many things about this girl would be redeeming for us. Plus I thought it would be sweet to have her name point to the Ultimate Redeemer.

He later texted back the answer: Apollowtrowsis.

Well, shoot. Can't name our girl that! Even shortened, that is just hideous.

But I was on sort of a "redeem" kick and I thought we could just name her "Ree" - short for redeemed. I only know of one: The Pioneer Woman is named Ree (she's got red hair even). I thought it sounded pretty great with Kasowski. I do love the long "ee" ending first name with our last name. So we threw that around for awhile, which is how we roll, trying on a name to see how it feels.

Well, then July and August happened. I don't think we seriously discussed names during any of that time! Eventually Greg put the kabosh on "Ree" and my love for it waned and went stagnant as well. I kept thinking "ree-ject" and couldn't get around that.

So this baby is not Ree.

I remembered a few names that we had considered with Maelee. One of the names we loved then was "Ellie." Such a cute name. And as I've been looking around, I have found a few similar names that I think are sweet. One a few weeks ago was "Elia."

And then I had the "doh!" moment when I realized much of those names are ELI with a letter or two added. Well, shoot. Can't have an Eli and an Elia or Ellie or Evi etc, etc.

So this baby is not Ellie.

Then we thought of names that could use part of Maelee's name or allude to her somehow. I was using the "lee" and came up with "Lena" which I laughed at initially then seriously considered it. Greg liked it, too. So for awhile we were into Lena. Then I heard Ole and couldn't get around how completely hard it would be to grow up in ND with the name Lena.

So this baby is not Lena.

Of course there are loads of names that we love but are used by family or close friends so alas, we can't use them. Or won't. It wouldn't seem right. 

So this baby is not Hannah. 

I suppose some we could but sometimes you get an association with someone and you can't get around it. That rings true for random people, a name one would like but the other would say no because we knew someone in high school with that name, etc. 

So this baby is not Katie. 

We have our criteria for naming. Not as stringent as we were with Maelee, but we have some guidelines and hopes for this daughter's name. Simple, meaningful, classic yet not overly used - I'm hoping for that. Plus we have a "please let it be three letters" request from the Lipperts and a "it should have an "ia" in it like all the living granddaughters" from Grandma Mary. Pretty sure we won't fulfill either of those, however! 

All that to say, we have a few names we are trying out. We have 11 days (or less!) to make our final decision. And it will become a favorite whatever it may be!

How's that for leaving you hanging?

-Heather