Friday, November 12, 2010

what's in a name?

I think it's probably a pretty universal thing that new parents just can't resist calling their child(ren) all kinds of ridiculous pet names. While I was pregnant Mikey and insisted that we just could never picture ourselves being the mushy babytalk types, and that the lovey-dovey nicknames that other people called their children were just so not us. We said this, of course, while simultaneously referring to our unborn child as Poppy, Plum, babymoohoo (obvs), the little alien, nugget, fetus-face, and all kinds of other nicknames. We just couldn't help ourselves. That irresistable urge to give that-which-cannot-be-named a Name was too overwhelming.

And the urge has continued (and grown) throughout Natalie's 7 months. Whether it's budgie (or budgie-boo, the Budge, budgie-face), Natifuss, Fussifuss, Fussy-face, Fatalie, Sadalie, Madalie (hell-o, depending on her mood), The Very Hungry Naterpillar, Natasaurus Rex, Natopotamus, Cheeks, LoveDove, Honeypot, Bear, Bearifuss, Natifuss Jones, NataWat, Chatty Natty, Razz-ma-Tazz, or any other ridiculous name we can come up with... she is rarely just "Natalie."

We're beginning to wonder if this may lead to an identity crisis down the road. Mikey is convinced that her first word will be "Bear," and she has definitely started to answer to it as well. My sister coined "Fatalie," and we are trying to phase it out so we don't give her some major body image complex before the age of 1. But we can't help ourselves... she is so cute, so kissable, so squeezable, so imminently name-able. Her expressions and squeaks and personality are all so perfect for nicknaming.

I truly hope we are not the only parents out there who are confusing our child...

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