02 Taurus Problem... help!?

I just noticed a few days ago when I am idling my engine temp guage goes pretty far up into hot territory, it doesnt peg out it just kinda goes up a little, when I start driving again it goes right back to normal operating temperature. However the day I noticed this I was on lunch break at work, that night I drove home, and the next morning I drove to work, and the engine temp guage didnt budge one inch, it stayed right there at normal operating temperature... Yet that same next day on my home from work, it started acting the same way again...

The temp guage can also be higher while I am driving, just cruising and not much pressure on the acellerator, like coasting for awhile at any speed it will go up as well... whenever that happens, when I brake to a stop, it throws the needle right back down to normal OT, yet when i am idling for just a minute it starts rising back up, yet it never goes full up, I'd saythe highest is about 3/4 of the way there.

Could my water pump be going out?

My T'stat went out a year ago and the temp guage just flew through the roof, I've already had that replaced.

Check the fan and its connections. Check the radiator for clogs. Make sure the radiator hoses aren't collapsing restricting the flow of coolant.