What's in a Name?

So, I know, I know I am falling behind on my 97 posts, but you never know when there's gonna be a day when something great happens and I need to post twice or something. So, we'll see how it goes for the next couple months. Yesterday I was having computer/internet connection issues. I don't know about anyone else, but I just don't want to deal with stuff like that sometimes. I think mentally it was more annoying than anything else AND on a physically busy day I just chose to ignore it. Today I did the super technical thing and unplugged and replugged everything and we're good to go. Phew. I'm such a brainiac!

So, I need some public opinion on naming baby #5. With each of our kids it was important to me to give each of our kids a name with a purpose. I think being named after my great-grandma, Sarah Jane Jones Catlin was a real honor and I liked being able to say I was named after someone. To know it was important to my dad meant something, too. So, our 1st baby girl was got the prized "Jane" and is Mackenzie Jane. With girl #2 we knew we weren't necessarily guaranteed another chance to honor our mothers, so we chose Caylee Ann (we decided on the "lee" after Doralee [Tyler's mom] and Ann after my mom [Elizabeth Ann]). Baby boy #1 was named after his dad, Brevin Tyler, and with baby #4 we decided to honor my family's name and that's how we got Brock Garrard. SOOO, what do we do with a 3rd baby boy?

Let me just say, too, this would not be difficult if we were having a baby girl. I had already decided it would be Natalie Erin after my sister, but we had to start all over when we found out it was a baby boy. Sigh. SO, Tyler thinks we should continue the BR-thing. I never wanted to have a thing. I fought against "Brock" for a day after he was born because I was really in love with the name Dallin. When our pediatrician came in to check on unnamed Barlow baby #4 we asked his opinion on Dallin vs. Brock. He said he thought Brock sounded like a transvestite stripper name whereas Brock sounded manly. Obviously, that mature arguement from a licensed medical professional won us over, and Brock became Brock. I now love his name and he totally grew into it, so I am sure no matter what we choose, the name will fit him and we'll all love it, so I am kinda stuck on the purpose of this kids' name.

Right after Tyler and I were married his grandpa Barlow died. A few months later we got a binder from Tyler's uncle with a bunch of family histories. I was reading in bed one night in Cedar City all these stories and got to one from his great grandpa. At first it was fairly standard stuff, but I found it curious that he lived in Grouse Creek, Utah. I recognized Grouse Creek as the name of the small town my grandma lived in, and thought, "Hmm, small world." The history of this man, who was born in 1877, was pretty interesting; mostly about how he was a real, horse-breaking, hard-working cowboy. A couple paragraphs later and Tyler's great grandpa's history says this, "'Quart' Catlin, a brother-in-law to Lindy Kimber, was Jesse's age and one of his many friends." I seriously sat straight up in bed. Right there in that history was MY great-grandpa's name. "Quart" Catlin was my grandma Garrard's dad, Quartus Sparks Catlin. To know that our great-grandpas were good friends in little 'ol Grouse Creek was really cool. I like to think that nearly a hundred years later Jesse and Quart were up in heaven slappin' each other on the back whilst Tyler and I were making out on the backyard trampoline.

So, one afternoon it hit me that I would really like to name this baby boy after those two men. BOTH were worth naming a kid after, but to name him Jesse Sparks Barlow would mean a lot. Not that I'm ANTI a BR- name or anything, in fact I really like the name Brady. I just can't figure out what middle name would have more purpose than Tyler's dad's middle name, Lavell. So, general blog audience, I am asking for your opinion. Do you like Jesse Sparks Barlow or Brady Lavell Barlow better?

It may help to see the little squirt who is constantly kicking me and flip flopping in my uterus. In my scanning frenzy I added these ultrasound pics to our hard drive. Since I had the placental bleed, I got three different ultrasounds. I found out insanely early, 14 weeks (in November), that this was a boy, but the Dr. was sure the ultrsound wasn't lying. We had another viewing session the beginning of January, and then another on February 21st. We won't get anymore views until he comes out the shute, so see what you can gather and let me know in a comment if you think he looks more like a Jesse, a Brady, or a molerat.

One of the first profiles with his hand up by his face. (11/07)
"Hello, my peeps. Sorry to give you a scare with the whole bleeding placenta and all, but I'm doing fine and dandy in here!" (11/07)

This is the shot that the Dr. said, "If this baby is a girl, she's gonna have a penis." Tyler was pretty thrilled and the Dr. totally stroked his ego by calling him a porn star. nice, huh. (11/07)

This is another shot of the family jewels. The Dr. printed a big one for Tyler to take to his office and be proud of. The Dr. told us to pack a jock strap to the hospital since this baby was so well-endowed. I, mother of five, did not buy into his compliments as EVERY 8" long baby baby boy looks like he has a huge unit when it's broadcast on a big flatscreen TV. Tyler ate it up! (1/08)

Here's the first 3-D picture of our little man. Not to gross you out, but the grain-i-ness is from floating bits of old blood from the placental bleed, which had still not resolved itself as of the second ultrasound. (1/08)

This is another profile shot of our guy, but he's a bit older and more mature. Can't you tell in the picture?

And the last 3-D picture. Doesn't he look all peaceful and sweet? You can't tell how those arms so sweetly curled up in front of his face like to reach out and push up against my entire inner being. During the ultrasound we could actually see him opening and closing his eyes, pretty amazing, huh?!

Anyway, so that's our guy. He'll be arriving the beginning-ish of May and we're excited to meet him. Just deciding a name would be helpful. Jesse or Brady? Whatcha think?