Let the Debate Begin!!

Congratulations on making it to the first MAJOR landmark of your pregnancy...the gender ultrasound. (there are only two landmarks...gender untrasound and birth). Yah, yah, there are really some important diagnostics that also take place (development, for example), but what really counts is the BOY? GIRL? question. So...it's a girl. Now the debate can begin. That's the GREAT NAME DEBATE. Although it might be common belief that the mother really has the final say on the baby's name, it does not always happen that way. Have you met Louis? He should have been Erik...or even Lewis. Naming your baby is the first difficult child raising decision that you'll have to make (the second will probably involve ear piercing or something REALLY important like that). The name you give this child will stick FOREVER (let forever echo in your head). This is a job you can't afford to screw up. You lucked out with a girl. One of the two important baby naming rules is now a non-issue. The rules: no fake name (made-up names) and no "get your butt kicked on the playground" names. Girls generally don't get their butts kicked on the playground so focus on the no fake names rule. Under the heading of fake names you will find...state/city names, acronyms, combo names (like Branee), animal names (ok...I did like Fox), double names (John Johnsen), dog names, and product names. For purposes of uniqueness avoid names that end in Y (Brittan-Y). One thing you might as well get over now...and it will be disappointing...no matter how hard you try to come up with a normal yet uncommon name, there WILL be one in little Freddy's kindergarten class. Take Louis for example. NO ONE is named Louis anymore...that's what we thought. I met a woman the other day with a 3 year old son named LOUIS. ARGH!!!!!

Keep a list of names you like (a secret list). Names will come to you at the strangest times...while you're sleeping, in line at the grocery store, while doing yoga, wile cooking. Write them down. We likes Louis early on...and then forgot it. We could NOT remember THE name we both liked. Pathetic, huh? You don't have to decide until little Freddy pops out (no it won't be that easy...the popping I mean). Somehow you will just know her name.

The final bit of advice regarding names...DO NOT TELL ANYONE YOUR NAME CHOICE UNTIL AFTER THE BIRTH!!! Except me :-) I am not kidding. Even your closest, dearest friend will steal it...for a kid, a dog, a plant. It will be used, and Freddy can't have a used name.

OK, practice this, you and Brad together. Step one: smile. Step two: nod. Step three: say "that's a nice name." This is what you do when someone suggests a name to you. In your head you can be thinking, "that's the dumbest f'ing name I've ever heard!!!" but keep it to yourself.

So, seriously, what'd you think of Branee?