What's in a Name?
Who would have thought?
I mean really.
Who would have thought that naming our second baby would be made so difficult a process by our first baby? What three year old has such strong opinions about something like this? Well, apparently this one.
The details are a little fuzzy now as to how it all began, but it had something to do with Brian and I mentioning we would have to pick a name and Sam suggesting "Betsy". Betsy was his first little love at mother's day out a couple of years ago. According to his teacher, he was always trying to hold her hand while they played and pat her back during circle time. We weren't surprised when he suggested Betsy as a name and at first everybody thought it was hilarious and sweet. That didn't last long.
Eventually Brian and I narrowed down our name choices from a list of about ten to two: Evelyn and Lillian. We knew we wanted her middle name to be Mae (my Grandma T's middle name and one of our original first-name choices as well), but we weren't positive which way to go for her first name. We wanted a classic name, normal and not trendy, common but not overused, one that would work well for her as an adult. Brian and I would talk about it and Sam would always interject with Betsy. Betsy. Betsy. Betsy. And each time he would get angrier and angrier. We explained that Mommies and Daddies name babies but that he could call her what he wanted for now. He decided he would call her "all three names: Evelyn Lillian Betsy". We said that was fine.
Big mistake.
At first only he referred to her using this weird little combo of names. Then he started insisting that Brian and I, all grandparents, the cashier at Janie and Jack - even Joe Schmoe on the street - call her by all three names. And when we wouldn't, he'd get ugly. One of several Sam-quirks that made this a particularly difficult summer...
I'm not sure how it finally slowed down (notice I didn't say it had stopped). I think some threats and time-outs were involved and possibly a heart-to-heart talk with Gram at a Chick-Fil-A, but we finally reached a loose compromise. Daddy and I and all family and friends would call baby sister Evelyn or Evie and he could call her all three of her real names "Evelyn Mae Straka", which he is still doing faithfully to this day. For example, if I ask him to put something in "Evie's room" for me, he will say, "Sure Mom, I will put that in Evelyn Mae Straka's room for you".
Whatever!
Not sure how long he can keep it up, but I wouldn't be surprised if it goes on for a while. He's known to possess a bit of a strong will...
**A couple of interesting links about the history and meanings of the name Evelyn: