So, lots of folks ask us if we’ve decided on the baby’s name yet. We have, and we haven’t.
It’s been a six-month-long process. We started by compiling a list of all the names either of us liked, which hit a total of about 70. Then, through a complex vetting process involving such criteria as ease of mockery, distasteful nicknames, not inadvertently naming him after someone we wouldn’t want thinking we had done so advertently, lack of rhyming or sing-song interactions with the last name Hartley, and a number of others, we winnowed that list down to about 20. Next, we each got to veto any name we just didn’t like, which took us down to about 8.
The remaining names were ranked by each of us, and we produced a compromise ranked list. We have since decided that the top two, Dashiell and Remington, will be chosen between at the time of our son’s birth.
Oddly, his middle name was easy. My middle name is Thomas. My father and his father’s first names were Thomas. My grandmother’s father’s name was Thomas. So it was just obvious that our choice for a middle name should be Archibald. I’m kidding. We’re going with Thomas.
So yes, we’ve worked very hard on deciding just the right name for our child, and no, we haven’t decided on a name for our child.
I think we’re going to just pick the first person we see for the next child. This is exhausting!
Hey all, so with the birth happening in -2 to +7 days, lots of folks want the info as it happens! Since there are *SO* many interested , and I’m *SO* bad at remembering things I have to do, and I *really* don’t want to leave anyone out unintentionally (I suspect the road to hell is actually paved with UN-intentions), I am making this pledge:
We have an alert list of family who will get text messages. They are not all of the family, just points of contact for their local family units. We have an alert list of a small number of friends who will also get text messages, also as points of contact.
On top of these lists, I am committing to keep our family web page (You’re looking at it) as updated as practicable with all developments. This way, everyone can be as hooked up as they like, without potentially getting dozens of messages/facebook posts/emails, most of which they probably don’t care about!
Nothing better, after dealing with hours of screaming eleven-year-olds, than coming home to a vandalized house and an hour of dangerous glass-cleanup!
I think I need three fingers of Bulleit tonight!
Installing stuff. Assembling stuff. Cleaning stuff. Laundering stuff. Rinse, and repeat!
I think we’re prepared. Not at all ready, mind you, but prepared. I have discovered that our unborn child already owns more changes of clothes than I do, and my research tells me we will need to get him a new wardrobe from scratch every three months or so. This frightens me.
If it’s this much work weeks *before* the baby, I am daunted by the consideration of how much work it will be once he arrives…
So, if we thought the house looked like a shipping department before, we are now vindicated!
We held a baby shower in the Mezzaluna room of the Franklin Inn. Our friend Karen stood in as surrogate Mom for the day, as I’m a little too butch to fill the role. There were games, gifts, and food and drink, and all reports indicate a great time was had by all. All except Daddy, of course, who did all the pre, post, and concurrent schlepping for the event. At least I got fed!
We didn’t invite most of our team from RPI, as it didn’t seem fair to push a bunch of college kids (especially the younger ones) to give us stuff they can’t afford, but the girls on the team who *were* invited subsequently orchestrated *another* shower, just for the team. So there were *more* games, gifts, and food and drink! Less schlepping, though. (Yay!)
So now, we apparently own every baby thing there has ever been, and they are all crammed in our house.
The house is a disaster area. We have boxes, bags, and other assorted shipping materials strewn everywhere, and we haven’t even had the shower yet! It literally looks like a factory receiving dock in here.
On the up-side, the baby’s room is mostly finished, with crib, changing table, dresser, storage stuff for the closet, and a glide-rocker for Mommy.
Unfortunately, our unborn child has already experienced his first loss. His grandfather, Thomas Redfern Hartley, passed away this Tuesday, January 21st. It’s not a surprise, and not the worst news, as Tom hasn’t been well for years, and at least his struggle is finally at an end.
We’re pretty sad right now. I really thought that after surviving two different cancers, heart disease, several life-threatening surgeries, and sixty years of drinking and smoking, he would at least make it a few more months to see his first grandchild!
We had our problems, Dad, but I love you, and I’ll miss you…
Thomas Redfern Hartley, 1932-2014
We have baby stuff!
We’ve begun the process of acquisition with purchases of strollers. Why strollers, you ask? Because that was what was in front of us at the moment we finally decided to start moving this mountain one stone at a time, I suppose!
So, we have no place to put it, but we are currently in possession of nearly $1000-worth of strollers and stroller-related accessories. We acquired the shit out of that baby stuff!
So we’ve been holding out again…
Modern science has told us the gender of our hartley-to-be, which we announced at our annual Halloween bash last night: It’s a boy!
Ironically, I didn’t really care what my child’s sex would be, right up until the moment I knew. Then I was surprised to discover I was hoping for a boy first all along? I think I’ve developed Daddy-brain already!
So, while Mommy has been reporting baby shenanigans in her belly for a month or so, Daddy finally got his first experience today! This was especially nice because at the time, daddy had just spent more than 90 minutes slumped in a chair in a pharmacy waiting area waiting for antibiotics while seriously concerned he was going to die!
I may still feel like I’m dying, but at least I can die happy!
