Say my name, say my name

Since the last time Ibrought it up, Luke and I have gone round and round (and roundandroundandround) with name choices, throwing out names at random times, submitting lists of our top five to each other for veto review purposes, campaigning for favorites, (We both had number one picks that were ultimately not right for the other person. A total bummer, but what can you do? If it's not right for one, it's not right.) and finally, FINALLY settling on a number one option that we both agreed could be The One. This occurred only just last week.

Then we sat with it.

And we sat with it.

Until … it stuck. (Cue fireworks! And cannons!And confetti guns! And great big sighs of relief!)

The process for naming this kid was totally different than it had been either of the other times, and also, frankly, exhausting and not very fun. I wanted to be bowled over at sight by a name, like I was with Noah, or have a great revelation with the sound of angels singing, like Idid with Rosie. But this was more of a gentle, persistant warming to a name. A circling back to the familiar and comfortable. Which I think is what bothered me at first—surely it needed to be a big bang of a thing, like a lightning bolt? Or an “Aha!” moment? Iwanted those things, mostly because that's what Iknew from naming this baby's big siblings.

“Early” Noah

“Modern” Rosie

But who knows, maybe that's an indication of this person to come. Maybe he's the type of kid who is gentle and comfortable in his own skin, not too dramatic, just right. Ikind of like to think that's why we found his name the way we did. And of course, years from now it will seem like there couldn't have been any other choice for him, just like there so clearly isn't for Noah or Rosie.

I, for one, am relieved to finally be waiting for someone with an identity and initials and decided entry on a birth certificate. Someone whose name I know and can say out loud. Someone whose name will cross my lips a million times a million times. It feels pretty great to be decided, to have chosen, to have named.

And now that that's settled, it's time to move on to the eleventy-seven other things we need to get done before he comes out to join us. It's the homestretch everyone. We're checking off the to-dos with slow but steady marks.