Today, Crystal and I were scheduled to have our “anatomy checkup” for @babyblevins . In addition to being poked and prodded to check for eyes, fingers, & toes, this is also the time when the baby’s gender is determined. Though we were 100% happy w/ whatever came our way, Crystal was in hopes for a baby girl whereas I found myself waffling between “carrying on the family name” or “signing up to become the daddy-doormat”.
With that being said, Crystal and I are happy to announce that we are having a baby girl! In addition, the Dr stated that all signs show that we are on our way to having a healthy and normal child. Who knew that being told that your child looks to be ‘normal’ could bring such joy to one’s heart?
The Obligatory Pictures
The overall process of getting the ultrasound was rather amusing. In order to get pictures of appropriate parts, the person running the machine ( utlrasoundnographer, perhaps? lol ) has to hope that the little one will lay still long enough for them to track down what they are looking for. As it turns out, @babyblevins is a bit of a squirmy worm. Before the session was over, the person running the machine referred to her as stubborn, fidgety, and mule-headed repeatedly (traits that she must get from her mother). :)
For those of you who are brave enough to view uterine soniogRaphy, here you go:
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| Proof that she’s a she. Dr kept calling it the “goal posts”, lol | Notice her legs / feet, which are above her head, lol. |
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| Side view of @babybean. You can seen her heart vessels here too. | The baby’s face aka the “alien view” |
What’s In a Name
Now that we have crossed this milestone, the 1st question we are asked is “Have you chosen a name yet?” As it turns out, Crystal and I have already had a name picked out. In fact, we actually have the names picked out for our 1st 3 children, if it ever comes to that. This name was something that we picked when we first started dating, somewhere around 12 years ago. Looking back, it does seem odd that a couple only dating a few months might choose a baby name together, but it seemed natural enough at the time. Needless to say, the name has some special meaning to us for several reasons.
Anyway, @babyblevins ‘s name is going to be Kitara Alexis Blevins. We really like this name for several reasons. First off, it follows the basic naming rules that EVERYONE should adhere to. These rules include but aren’t limited to:
- It has a normal and unique variants. Kitara is a rather unique name whereas Alexis is a fairly popular / common name. I am not going to stick the kid w/ Yelagelo M-qua (Madashqua) Blevins.
- It has formal and informal variants. I love names that have easy nick-names. In this case, Kit, Kitty, Alex, Lexi could all be informal variants but there is still the formal option of Alexis and such.
- It does not have any obvious horrific variations or unforeseen meanings. I don’t plan on raising a Gehnoria or Ahsholee.
- It is not a reverse self-fulfilling prophecy. Joy, Peace, Chasity… you get the idea. They make nice names, but… ;)
Kitara comes from a couple of sources. I originally fell in love w/ the name when it was used in one of my favorite stories that I read as a child, Dragon Lance. Kitara was a figure of strength and determination throughout the story and was a rather complex character. Oddly enough, Kitara made some pretty bad choices throughout the story, but I always loved her for the fact that she went her own way. She was a warrior - independent, capable, and self-reliant. The only other place I have seen a variation of the name Kitara used, many years later, was in Avatar The Last Air Bender as Katara, Sokka’s sister and would-be warrior of the Water Tribe. I like this association as well as I really loved the Katara persona.
Alexis is a name that Crystal and I felt complimented Kitara. Its a more common name and gives our daughter the later option of adopting a less unique name. The meaning of the name, defender or protector, goes w/the thought of Kitara as well. Furthermore, we just liked the way it rolled. :)
What is Next?
Now that we have reached this milestone, we have to play the waiting game. Crystal’s due date is on May 1st of next year. Although that feels forever away, we have 10,000 things we have to do between now and then. There are cribs to buy, baby rooms to prepare, storage buildings to build, daycares to pick, emergency labor routes to map, hot water to prepare, twitter handles and domain names to squat, and many many lessons to learn. In many ways, this feels rather overwhelming and, for me personally, each day is a lesson on patience and the illusion of control.
I am both excited and a little scared as we get ready for our long adventure. I would ask why parents would subjugate themselves to this kind of torture, but I think I already know the answer…