I have been gone, and not golfing

It has been weeks, nay, months, since my last round of golf. The league has finished for the year and I was unable to play in even one championship round. It was a combination of things, but mostly not having a baby sitter. We also had friends visit, or went out of town ourselves, or I had doctor's appointments for this growing baby.

The baby. It's HUGE already. Or I am, at least. He's so active in there that he might come out super tiny from all his calisthenics (he is insanely active).  At first I didn't believe whomever told me that you get larger with your second pregnancy, but it is SO true. I didn't really gain a lot of weight early on like I did the first time, but I have truly popped this last month to the point where I think I'm as big now at only 7 months as I was when my first was "fully cooked." Oh well. My mindset about weight gain and pregnancy is that there is only so much you can control -- you can do everything "right" and still feel like you're doing wrong, or everything "wrong" and be just fine. And now that I've experienced a second pregnancy that has been so different from the first, I definitely know that for 40 weeks my body is doing what it needs to and I'm just along for the ride.

So much happened since my last post. The legendary Arnold Palmer passed away, and the Ryder Cup was won by the Americans in thrilling fashion. And like my actual golf game, life just kept me away from my laptop to comment.

I will say again, though, that anyone who watched the Olympics and also watched the Ryder Cup knows that match play would make the Olympics WAY better. The rivalry was intense and so much fun to witness.

The hardest part about not playing golf for so long is how guilty I feel about it, which is a weird thing to feel. It's like neglecting an old friend, saying you'll "call her soon," but not doing it. I was so happy for those few months this summer that I was getting to play not just occasionally, but weekly, but as soon as it became clear that life was taking back control, I felt so ashamed. Not to mention that I had such high hopes of being a competitor in my league, which didn't pan out at all.

So who knows if I'll get to play in this gorgeous fall weather? I certainly hope to. While I might take golf for granted, she doesn't ever turn her back on me and will always be there when I can make time.

Baby Names Inspired by Golf!

Isn't this a cute onesie? You can buy it! The link is at the end of my post. 

Around our house these days, all we can talk about is baby names. For our second baby due end of year, we decided to start completely from scratch and not reuse any names from the list our first son's name came from. In our early brainstorming phase we really have been reaching far and wide, and anything, no matter how bizarre, is up for discussion. 

That's led me to making this list of golf names perfect for the baby born to golf-obsessed parents! 

Ace - The golf term for a hole-in-one, it would be a great middle name for a first born. 

Augusta - One of America's most beautiful and famous courses is Augusta National, the site of The Masters, one of golf's Majors. It would make a very pretty, classic name for a little girl as well! 

Albatross - The golf term for a double-eagle, the nick names could be Ross or Albie. It's also the name of a sea-faring bird found near oceans, so there's that. 

Andrew - St. Andrews, Scotland is the birthplace of golf, and the location for a sort of pilgrimage every golfer wants to take at some point in their life. But there's no need to really explain this name too much to the other parents you'll meet on the playground, as Andrew is a perfectly normal, distinguished name -- a bonus just in case the kiddo grows up and doesn't like golf (heaven forbid).

Annika - a sweet name which hits on the popular Scandinavian name trend which also happens to honor the legendary Annika Sorenstam (seriously, my golf idol).

Birdie - In golf, a birdie is one under par, and in life I think Birdie would be adorable for a little girl. I imagine a Lady Bird Johnson born to sporty, millennial parents. 

Links - The oldest style of golf courses are links style, which are all over England and Scotland. I think Links makes a cool middle name, too, for the parent looking for something a little special.

Major - the four Majors in golf are the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, and the PGA Championship. While a bit boisterous, it might make a neat middle name. 

Palmer - The golf legend Arnold Palmer has a long list of accomplishments. And don't forget the refreshing tea and lemonade combo named after him! If you're looking to honor one of golf's GOATs, I personally prefer his last name, Palmer, over his first.

Ryder - The Ryder Cup, a match play competition between America and Europe, is one of the most exciting golf events. As a name, Ryder also has a cool edge that will stand out, while still looking good on a work resume as an adult.

Torrey - Show your love for West Coast golf by naming your kid after Torrey Pines, one of the most beautiful municipal courses in America. I think it's cute for either a boy or girl! 

And that's my list of my favorite names inspired by golf. I'm sneaking as many of them into our name conversations as possible. Would you ever name your kid after something in golf? 

About the onesie in my graphic: I found it on ETSY! Browsing ETSY stores for baby items is one of my favorite time killers. This seller is LittleFroggySurfShop, and you can buy it here.