Part 2, Gabriel: We found out we were expecting Gabriel when Emerald was about 10 months old. This time I wasn't sick in the first trimester--I wasn't even particularly tired. So this time, with a fairly clear head, I told Michael...I don't want to worry about the name at all. The last time had burned me so bad, I didn't want to think about it at all. I was so certain of this that I didn't even want to know the gender of the baby so that I wouldn't worry and fret and name the baby before Michael could.
So we agreed--only Mike got to know the gender, only Mike got to pick the name.
No one liked our arrangement, even the doctor, but it was what WE were happy with, so that's all that mattered.
The way it would happen was that I would suggest baby names to Michael, and he would decide the ones that he liked as well and he would pick the name alone.
At first, we actually discussed what names Michael was thinking. For the first leg of the pregnancy, we liked Alexander Lynn (Lex) for a boy, and Eve Lynn Clementine (Evie) for a girl. I didn't like Evelyn, and Eve Lynn sounded too short to me, but Eve Lynn Clementine had nice cadence. We were both at peace-there was no arguing, no endless discussions and lists of baby names, no worrying.
I still enjoyed onomastics as a hobby, so I bought as fun reading "Baby Name Wizard" by Laura Wattenberg. At the time, I think we had started watching the series of "Angel" again, which got me to thinking...it's cool that Michael has an archangel name, wouldn't it be cool if we gave a future son another angelic name? I made a little list--Angel, Raphael, Gabriel, Uriel...Angel was written off because it seemed effeminate, Raphael was a ninja turtle, I didn't like the nickname Gabe, and Uriel made me think urinal. I put it from my mind.
Rereading the Name Wizard again, I come across Gabriel again. Gabe seems less horrible, and Gabriel is an adorable name.....but what really got my attention was the thought of the adorable nickname--Gaby Baby! I bring it up to Mike for fun, and he lights up...he likes it!
We have another few peaceful, quiet months. Around this time, we decide that he is going to keep "the" name to himself, a secret even to me.
Around this time, I am getting horribly lonely. For some reason, pregnancy makes people quite lonely. So I start texting--most people ignore me, or give me short responses when they can, but Mike's friend Dylan is quite nice in listening to a lonely preggo rambling. We start talking a lot.
So, I bring up the name Dylan to honor his very best friend from high school. Mike likes it as well.
The end of the pregnancy approaches--we are all set and ready to have the kid, since I am horribly uncomfortable. One amniocentesis later, and we realize baby is going to have to bake for another week and a half--his lungs are very underdeveloped. =( I am heartbroken. To cheer me up, Michael asks if I want to hear what name he has chosen. I figure since I made it this far, I can go the extra time...but I do want to hear his final list.
For boys, he was thinking Alexander, Gabriel, or Dylan.
For girls, we are thinking Aeris, River, or Eve.
Lovely names, I was right to trust Mike to do it alone.
The big day comes, and for unforeseen reasons, I need to be sedated for the birth...in a drowsy, hazy confusion, Michael introduces me to a squalling little angel...Gaby =)
It was perfect, I never had a moment's stress or worry over it, and no other name would do for our little man. All in all, it was great =)
~Andie~
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