What’s in a Name?
Sunday morning, I was woken up by a solicitation phone call at 8:00 AM. I picked up the phone and heard the long pause and then click of a solicitation call connecting and so I hung up before anyone spoke. An hour later, my phone rang again. This time, Chris answered. It may have been the strangest phone call of our lives.
Chris: Hello?
Early Morning Sleep Ruiner: Can I speak with Michael?
Chris: Uh, Michael?
Early Morning Sleep Ruiner: Yes.
Chris: Well, that’s either my Dad who doesn’t live here or its my unborn baby and he isn’t available to come to the phone right now.
Is there anything weirder than waking up to a solicitation call for the person growing inside of you? Probably not. I mean, the phone call itself was weird. But what was even weirder was hearing someone say the baby’s name. I don’t just call him the Bean on this website. We call him the Bean in our house. When we talk to him, we call him the Bean. When we talk about him, we call him the Bean. My friends and family all call him the Bean. His actual, real name is just sort of…out there…waiting.
I don’t know why I haven’t used his name yet. I guess its cause that’s one of the few things that I really want to save for when he’s born. We know his gender. We know what his first outfit will be. I’m pretty confident he’s going to look like Opie from The Andy Griffith Show. What else is there to be surprised with when he’s born? I’m saving his name for that.
Truth be told, I have this nagging suspicion that we may still call him Bean when he’s actually here. Its a good little nickname. Bean. Growing Bean. Jumping Bean. Beanie. Beanie Weenie. Beaner. Its very versatile.
So, when someone says the baby’s name, it sort of catches me off guard. Last week I had to fill out paperwork for the daycare (yes – I actually found one and I love it!) and when I got there, they had a folder waiting for me full of paperwork. And on the outside of the folder it said, “Michael Brown.” Whoa.
And then there was the time I had to make my own file folder in my file cabinet at home for him. I was accumulating so many baby documents that I needed somewhere to put them. So I made a file folder and I put it in the cabinet right in between the folder that said, “Katie” and the folder that said “Chris.” There it was. “Michael.” Whoa.
And then at my baby shower, someone gave me monogrammed burp cloths (we’re Southern – we monogram everything). And there was his monogram. MDB. As if he was a real person. With a real name. Not just a Bean in my belly. But an actual little boy with initials. Whoa.
I wonder if it takes all first-time parents this long to adjust to the idea of a new person joining their family? I mean, I’m eight and a half months pregnant. And I’m still giggling when someone says his name. Is it immaturity? Or excitement? Or anxiety?
I think its mostly just surreal. Despite my actual huge belly. Despite the fact that I can feel him moving around inside me. It is still surreal to think that he’s a real person and he’s almost here.
And he’s already getting phone calls. Although, that’s not surreal so much as just plain weird.
11 Comments
Jenn
Enjoy that sleeping in. I hear it doesn’t last.
Lori
So I have to ask, do you know what the Early Morning Sleep Ruiner was trying to sell to your unborn baby?
It was a pretty amazing moment when the doctor showed me my baby and said, “It’s boy!” and asked me what his name was. It was really weird to finally attach a name to this little person that I just met–even though he’d been a part of me for 35 weeks.
Hilary
The name thing is super weird. I didn’t know if I was having a girl or a boy so DH and I had a list of names for either gender. Unfortunately, he was led to believe (perhaps by me) that he really had a say in what we would call the baby. So when the doctor announced it was a girl, there was a brief period of uncomfortable silence when the announcement was followed up with, “So what’s her name?” It took a lot of arguing and negotiating before he agreed on the name I wanted but I did have to give up all and certain naming rights to baby number two which means our next child could be Rathgar, Silver Arrow or Benzine. And I can’t say anything about it except, “Don’t get mad at me. Your father picked it!”
Jennifer
I think, when the time comes, I’m going to feel exactly the same as you do! The whole thought is surreal. I love children and can’t wait to have them but the whole idea of growing a human inside of me freaks me out a bit.
Jes the Bes
That’s how I felt about my nephew, Blake. Before he was born it was just a name with no “real” meaning behind it, just hope. Now the name has so much meaning behind it and tons of stories.
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Courtney
My son just had his first birthday on the 21st. When I was pregnant with him before we knew what the sex was, we started calling it “Peanut.” We had some issues during the pregnancy about the gender. We were first told it MIGHT be a boy. Then we were told it was DEFINITELY a girl. However, throughout the pregnany, just like you, Peanut was our baby’s name up until delivery. We had her name picked out, but very rarely referred to her by her chosen name. We were a little shocked when our little Peanut turned out to be a boy and we had to choose a boy’s name in the hospital. I think it was the day after he was born that we finally agreed on a name. But, I can tell you that from that moment on, we have never called him Peanut. So, I think that once Michael arrives, and the reality of Michael is sleeping in your arms, it won’t occur to you to call him The Bean!
Liz
I’m 34 weeks pregnant with my second and I feel the same way. I felt like that with my first, also. I think there’s a sort of disconnect between the inconsiderate lump in my belly and the sweet little girl who will be in my arms soon! It is very strange!
Laura
All that AND, will we rub or stomachs out of habit because we do now??? I used to smile sheepishly when I saw women doing that. I received the email that said, “Congratulations, your baby is full term!” um what!? Where did all the time go? So I have a healthy FULL GROWN baby in me. Kinda freaky AND her job is to get fat. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. How fat? Oh I love my little Gooner but this first time Mom stuff is wow!
Annon
Okay, I feel bad saying this- thus, not using my real name. But- seriously. michael? It’s a nice name and all but it’s SO common, please, please, please come up with something more unique for your kid. I’m one of the kids with a common name and I hated having a dozen other kids in my school with the same name when I was growing up. Do him a favor, let him have a name that’s HIS so when people say it he knows they are talking to him. Not 1 of 100 other people with the exact same name.
Michael is a family name. Name your kid whatever you want. – Katie
TheGoriWife
We’re southern, we monogram everything! Amen!
Courtney d
I love that someone called for the Bean. When I was younger, someone called my house, asking for “Micah,” the name of my dog. I mean, come on, what’s the point in even explaining? It’s too far gone at that point….
P.S. Michael is a great name. I grew up a “Courtney Smith” and yes, I hated being one of six Courtneys in school, let alone one of a gazillion Courtney Smiths in the United States. However, now that I’m married and have taken my husband’s Dutch last name, being a Smith was a heck of a lot easier to explain and spell!