What's in a Name?

OK, since we just revealed the thought process and meaning behind our son's name, I thought I would post an email we wrote in September 2010 to reveal Jillian's name!  Hope you enjoy this throwback as much as I enjoyed looking at it and reminiscing over the decision for naming our baby girl, Jillian!

Hello family and friends,

As you all know, in a few months, Julian and I will be blessed with an addition to our family...our sweet baby girl!  We cannot wait to meet her and to share all our dreams for her and her future.  And as much as we have loved calling her our "little one girl," we felt it was time to give her a name!  After much time spent thinking of possible names and praying for a sign that God instilled the name He intended for her in our hearts, we have come up with

Jillian Annalise Acosta!!!

A lot of thought and meaning went into her name and I will share a little of our story with you all.  First, her initials are JAA, just like Julian and me.  When I looked up the meaning of the name, Jillian, it literally said "from Julian, meaning youthful."  I thought it was perfect that Julian's daughter's name would come from his name and for those of you who know Julian, he certainly is youthful.  I pray that she has his same youthful spirit, contagious smile, and vibrant personality!!!  Her first name also reminds me of my parents, since my first name Julienne was given to me by my father.  I pray that she has his same iron will and determination.  And my name comes from my mom, Julieta, whose daughters are named Julienne and Julia (Michelle).  May she have my mom's drive and strength as a woman!!!  As for her middle name, Annalise means "graced with God's bounty." We pray that she goes through life with a great sense of grace and appreciation for the love bestowed on her by God, her family, and friends!  It is also meaningful for us that she has the name "Ana" in her name, after her great-grandmother, Mami Ana (Julian's grandmother).  I just recently lost my great-grandmother and I know how big of an influence she had on my life.  We hope Mami Ana serves as a model for our child and we pray that she has Mami Ana's sweet, gentle demeanor and wisdom.

So that's just a little bit about "What's in a name."  I have just barely started to feel Jillian Annalise stirring around in my belly, and as I am writing this story to you all, she is stirring with excitement!  Hope this email finds you all doing well.  Thank you all for your continued love, support, and prayers!

Love,
Julian and Amber Acosta (AKA Jillian Annalise's Daddy and Mommy!)

Our Son has a Name!

Finally, a decision has been made!  Julian and I are pleased to announce the name of our son,

Julián Alejandro Acosta!

For most of our friends and family, it is no surprise that we are sticking with our "JAA" initial scheme.  Julian, Jillian, and I all have JAA initials, so our baby boy will fit right in with this!  Truth be told, this is the name we toyed around with before we knew Jillian was a girl.  But it was put on the shelf for if/when we were to have a boy.

OK, here is a little about the meaning of his name and where it came from...

Julian - means youthful, and obviously since it is Bubby's Daddy's name, it seems like a natural fit.  It is such a beautiful name in both English and Spanish.  I am so grateful to Julian's parents for naming their son this 20-some-odd years ago because it is absolutely perfect!  It fits Julian's personality perfectly and I hope that our son grows up to be just like his daddy! May he always keep a youthful energy and contagious spirit!

Alejandro - means protector or defender of mankind, and it is such a pretty sounding name in English or in Spanish. And we LOVE the nickname "Alex!"  It's a name that has grown in our hearts as a name we choose for our first-born son.  May he grow up to be a great protector of his sister, our entire family, and the Acosta name.  May he grow up to be a strong man who will stand up for what he believes in!

Believe it or not, it was actually Julian who could not decide for sure.  We have known for a month now that we are having a boy, and shortly after we found out, Julian said, "I am not committed to that name, let's try to think of something else."  So I started going through baby books and baby websites.  Here is the response I got...

Amber: What do you think about the name _________?

Julian: No, I don't like that.

Amber: OK, what about _____________?

Julian: Ummmm, no!

Amber: Alright, ___________ is a good name.

Julian: No, it's not as good as what we had.

Amber: _____________.

Julian: Nope.  You know...

Amber: What about _____________?

Julian: Yeah, the more and more I think about it, nothing is as good as what we already came up with...

Amber: Are you sure you don't want to consider ______________?

Julian: Nope, let's go with Julian Alejandro.  Nothing is as good as that!

For the few people who have heard us say his name, they have already come up with nicknames, like "Julian-cito" (meaning little Julian) and "J.J." for Julian, Jr.  Technically, he will not be a "Jr." because Julian's middle name in Andre.  Although his first name is beautiful, I think we will call him Alex (and he will have to go through life explaining how he goes by his middle name, just like me).  But Julian has already said that he thinks he will call Alex "Bubby" for a long time since that is what we have been calling him for awhile now.  As for Jillian, she calls him Baby Brother still...and to be honest, occasionally still calls him Baby Sister too! Only time will tell which of these nicknames will stick!

So there you have it...in just a few short months, we will introduce our son, Julian Alejandro Acosta, to the world!  I can feel him baby kicking with excitement inside of me...I think he LOVES his name already!

More Than Just a Job

Everyday, I am thankful that my job is more than just a job.  You see, I have one of those jobs that I happen to love.  I am strongly passionate about the work I do day in and day out with some amazing people.  I have great co-workers, but more importantly, I have amazing students that I am so privileged to work with and for.

Although we are nearing the end of the school year, it is not quite time to be done just yet.  With just a few more trainings and programs left to go, the end is in sight.  But there is no better time to reflect and celebrate all that we have accomplished this past year!

I am so blessed to work with MSC LEAD and MSC Human Resources students.  It has been a great year for both, filled with lots of memories and tons of laughs along the way!  We were fortunate enough to win MSC Committee of the Year (MSC LEAD) and MSC Resource Area of the Year (MSC HR) at our recent Annual Awards ceremony!

Hannah, Chair of LEAD, Mason, VP of HR, and me, their lucky Advisor

This is my 8th year with MSC LEAD.  I started with them as a Graduate Assistant, and have had the privilege of advising them full-time for 6 years.  It has been amazing to see this organization grow, change, and evolve over time.  I have been with LEAD through a lot of highs and a lot of lows too.  All the LEAD students I have had over the years have a special place in my heart, and this year's staff and members are no different.  I loved getting to know them this past year as we worked together on their leadership development and programs that have made a huge impact!  They have taught me so much and I am so grateful to this bunch for letting me into their lives.  They remind me that we can truly go from good to great!

MSC LEAD Staff 2012-2013

MSC LEAD Exec Staff 2012-2013

Silly Execs

As for MSC HR, this is my first year with this team.  It is a selfless job to provide the trainings, selections, and awards component for the 1300 MSC members.  These 7 students have shown me what it means to lead with a servant's heart.  Our HR team was small, but definitely made a big impact.  And the smaller the team, the closer we were able to become.  In these students, I have seen so much growth and maturity and I will never forget my first (HR team, that is)!

MSC HR Team

Side story...one of my HR girls is dating Toney Hurd Jr.  That's right, #4 of the Fightin' Texas Aggie Football team, star defensive back, and all-around great guy.  He is an honorary member of our team.  =)

Our team with honorary member, Toney Hurd, Jr.

Sharking with Toney Hurd Jr.  

And now for some silly belly pics.  I have no idea why, but both MSC LEAD and MSC HR wanted to take pics to point out my growing belly...silly students!!!

 Thanks for the great year, guys!  Thanks for making this job more than just a job.  And never forget that "you are the reason for my job, not a burden to it."

22/23/24 weeks!

A change in venue for our week photos since we are already working on Bubby's room

How far along: 24 weeks (6 months)!

I look/feel: tired!  Combine normal end-of-the-school-year fatigue with creating-a-life-inside-me fatigue and it is a recipe for exhaustion!  I am also just barely hitting that little bit of uncomfortable when bending over/watching TV/sleeping in bed.  But when I do find a comfortable spot, I refuse to move.  The other night, Julian just left me in the living room instead of insisting that I move to the bed because I was too comfortable to mess that up!  Only 1 month left till I am done with programming for the year, thank goodness, and maybe this tiredness will lessen!

Bubby is: about 1 pound now (or maybe even a little more)!  And it is surprising how much that one pound person can pack a punch!  In the past, he seemed to happily float from one side to the other, but I can tell that he is starting to realize that the walls are closing in on him with not a lot of space to roam around.  I am sure this is nothing compared to the tight quarters he will be in for the next 3-4 months!

Julian is: speaking whale to the baby.  He thinks it's funny to go right up to my belly and speak whale (like Dory in Finding Nemo).  This guy...I know where Jillian gets her sense of humor and child-like persona from and hopefully Bubby will be that same way too!

Little Miss Thing insisted on taking a picture with her Baby Brother!

Jillian is: sweet to her baby brother.  She set aside some baby board books the other day and said "These for my baby brother!"  Half of the books were Mickey Mouse and half of the books were Disney Princess books...not sure Bubby will like those Princess books (or maybe he will, who knows?!)

Also, maybe she is having a little bit of crazy pregnancy craving...the other day, she ate her tortilla chips with yogurt.  Yummy!

I am craving: ice cream lately.  As the weather is getting warmer, I have wanted lots and lots of ice cream! Not sure that is a pregnancy craving, more so just my normal go-to warm weather treat!

Crazy pregnancy moment of the week: Well, Bubby has been moving a lot lately and kicking around in there.  But it was crazy to outwardly see one of his kicks when my belly moved in the middle of a meeting.  And I can also tell when he is shifted to one side of the other because you can outwardly see it.  

Also, pregnancy brain is starting to kick in.  I have a hard time remembering some of the smaller details in life.  I figure, as long as I remember to pick Jillian up from school everyday, we are still good.  Now if I start forgetting that...

On the To-Do List: Do some serious nursery/big girl room planning!  Jillian and I are traveling in 1 month to El Paso and Julian has been tasked with painting the kids' rooms and starting to put together their new spaces while I am out of town.  So we decided on paint color (for Bubby's room), furniture (who is keeping the furniture we have and who is getting new furniture), bedding (for one or both), and decor for both.  I can tell that Julian is eager to get started because there is a lot of work to be done!  

Trying to find the right shade for Bubby's room!

October Family Photos

Back in late October, we took family photos with the oh-so-talented Miss Sarah Giles.  We used a lot of the photos for our holiday card, but there are so many more great pics that I will always treasure!  

It's crazy to look back at these photos because we were weeks away from getting pregnant with Bubby.  Though we will take maternity pictures with Sarah in a few weeks, those pics will be the first ones of us as a family of 4 (with Bubby in my belly).  That makes these photos our last photos as a family of 3!

I asked Sarah to do a lot of "lifestyle" photos of us (in essence, less posy smile at the camera/more playing and looking at each other).  I am so impressed with what we got from her!

We actually took these photos 4 days apart because it was miserably cold the first day we shot.  And let's just say that it was so much better to shoot on the second day.  

Thanks again, Sarah for capturing this time in our life as the Acosta 3!  Next time we see you, we will be the Acosta 4!

Julian is a Winner!

What a fun weekend getaway Julian and I had this past weekend!  We jumped a plane to Biloxi, MS for the Verizon Wireless Winner's Circle weekend.  

***Please excuse the quality of these photos...I forgot our real camera so all we had were our iPhones***

We left Jillian at home and were looking forward to this quality time for two.  Julian works very hard, often working late nights and weekends.  Couple that with my long hours and devoting everything we've got to Jillian...let's just say that quality time together as just the two of us is hard to come by.  

For all the time and effort that Julian puts into his job, this was such a great way for his company to show their appreciation for his effort.  It was an all-expenses paid trip for 2 to a resort and casino in Biloxi.  We decided to go in a day early to make the most of our time together.  

On Saturday night, they have an awards ceremony.  In order to get Winners' Circle recognition, Julian had to be in the top 5% of salespeople for the company.  They celebrate regionally and the Houston Gulf Coast region had over 170 winners this year.  

The entire weekend was nautical-themed, from the shirts to the decor.  (And secretly, the event planner in me was really impressed by the immense attention to detail that the company put into this event.)

Table centerpiece

 When it came time to present the awards, they went in alphabetic order by last name so Julian was first!  Not only did he get a glass award, but Verizon also got them a wine decanter and glasses from Tiffany & Co.  They sure do know how to spoil their employees!

Aside from the awards ceremony, we had a great time exploring our hotel and surrounding areas in Biloxi.  We stayed at the Beau Rivage and they had beautiful azaleas and other flowers in all their lobby areas.  They also had lots of dining and shopping areas inside the hotel.  We slept lots, ate great food, and just generally relaxed...not stuff that happens often when you are wrangling a 2-year old, too!

But the best part of all was the casino!  Julian and I enjoy gambling, and we played a little bit of slots and a lot of roulette!  The first night, we lost half our money.  But the second night, we gained it all back and some. We met great people at the tables, drank lots (me-water, Julian-lots of spirits!), and had such a great time!  Julian and I gamble well together.  We have the same mentality and strategy...and most importantly, we know when to quit!

We really enjoyed our quality time together and the opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of being 2 hard-working parents!  Julian, thanks for being a Winner and for giving us the opportunity to get away and focus on ourselves for a weekend!!!  Love you, babe!

Easter Egg-stravaganza!

This Easter Sunday was our best one yet!!!  The Easter Bunny made a special stop at our house to help Jillian celebrate Easter Sunday.  I know, I know, Easter is not about the baskets and the bunny and the eggs...but when you have a 2 year old, it's fun to incorporate stories about Jesus and all these extra fun things too!

Basket on the left from Easter Bunny (Mommy/Daddy), basket on the right from Easter Bunny (Grandma/Grandpa)

Jillian loved all the little goodies that she got in her baskets, from Jilly Beans to a new Minnie Mouse watch and the bath crayons she had been asking for.  

"What's in here?!"

"I love my new chap stick too!"  

After Easter baskets and a great Easter morning breakfast, we got ready to head to church.

Jilly Bear and Daddy

Mommy, Bubby Baby, and Jillian

After mass ended, they had an Easter egg hunt for all the kids.  Jillian jumped the gun a little bit because she was too eager to get started.  

But when it was time to actually go hunt, she had Daddy go with her.  

So, funny story...Jillian and Daddy went to grab as many eggs and goodies as they could.  Jillian wanted purple eggs, because, well, that's her favorite.  Aaaaannnnndddd...Julian is colorblind...

She kept saying "purple egg" and so Julian would go pick up a pink/blue/green egg.  Jillian would say "no Daddy, PURPLE EGG!!!"  

Needless to say, they did not end up with a single purple egg.  Silly Jilly, your Daddy tried the best he could...maybe you'll poke fun understand when you are older that your Daddy is colorblind!

After church and the Easter Egg Hunt Fiasco, it was time to go get our first snow cones of the season.  One of our absolute favorite things in town is a little shanty snow cone stand in Bryan.  They opened for the season this weekend and we could not resist going for our first of 100ish times we will end up there this summer. 

In the afternoon, we went home and moved the bed into the living room to have a family movie time.  We watched "Wreck-it Ralph" and then took afternoon naps.  After naps, the Easter Bunny had come again, only this time he hid eggs all over the house for Jillian to find.  It was the 3rd Annual Acosta Family Easter Egg Hunt, as is our family tradition.  

Mommy and Jillian...she was already digging into the Teddy Grahams and other treats in her eggs

The Easter Bunny also had eggs in our back yard called cascarones.  Of course, Jillian loved these eggs too! 

We ended our perfect Easter Sunday with dinner at Cheddars, another Easter tradition.  

Looking back on my posts for the past 2 years about Easter, we really have had some amazing Easter Sundays since Jillian was born.  I think Easter is quickly climbing the ladder as one of my favorite holidays...

Hope your Easter Sunday was as blessed as ours was!

A Family Tradition: Cascarones!

When I was a little girl, one of my fondest memories of Easter was making cascarones.  For Jillian's first few Easters, I thought she was too little for this, but this year, I figured she would enjoy this family tradition.  So for the past few weeks, I have been cracking only the tops of eggs and saving the shell.  The first time Julian saw the egg carton on the counter, he almost threw them away!  Apparently, cascarones were not a family tradition of his (silly me, I forgot that his Puerto Rican upbringing is not exactly the same as my Mexican one).  Although he thought I was crazy, I saved almost 3 dozen eggs to make with Jillian.

I have to admit, I was a little hesitant to do this activity with Jillian.  I remember from when I was little that the eggs are so delicate and that they break easily.  Easily breakable + 2 year old = recipe for disaster!

But this could not be any further from a disaster...in fact, Jillian LOVED making cascarones!  We set out all the materials for her to dye the eggs...

...and she was so careful with the eggs, putting them in the colorful containers and naming her colors as she turned the eggs over and over.  

When we were all done with the dying, we only lost 4 eggs!  

That night, Julian worked to put the confetti in the eggs...

...and I covered the opening with tissue paper.  Julian still thought I was crazy at this point, but he was happy to help!

Looking a little rough here!

The next day, as part of Jillian's Easter egg-stravaganza, we put all the cascarones in our backyard.  She had so much fun gathering them all up in her basket.

But the real fun began when we showed her what to do with them!

Although she let us do a few on her head, she mostly loved cracking them on mommy and daddy's heads.  

After we were done, she wanted more...guess we'll have to wait till next Easter, Jilly Bunny!  I don't think Julian thought I was crazy anymore after seeing her delight at this new Acosta Easter family tradition!