"The Name" has been decreed

What started with the first page of "100,000 Baby Names" has been whittled down to one. This is what happened:

• 89 names from Jessica
• 78 names from Barry
• Dozens from family

We combined the ones that appeared on more than one list, along with the ones we (together) wanted to be "in the running", into a single list and began whittling them down.

• Round One - each protect 10 and scratch 5 (although I magnanimously allowed Jessica to scratch an extra one). The name we picked was protected by Jessica
• Round Two - same thing, except this time we both protected her eventual name
• Round Three - ditto, and ditto
• Round Four - we protected 10 each, but put the remainder up for discussion (ie: whacking); interestingly, I was the one who protected the name
• Round Five - the time arrived...Jessica scratched my favorite (Lydia) immediately, I cherished no illusions. Scratch, scratch, scratch on the way back home until only two are left: Gabrielle/Gabriella and....
• ...and then, last night, celebrating our Second Anniversary, we pulled the trigger.

Meet Caroline Marguerite Brandes, soon-to-be newest member of the Caruso/Brandes club. We chose her middle name to honor Jessica's grandmother (that's "grandmère" in lingua Franca). Now that THAT'S out of the way, let's keep on keeping on...just a couple months or so left to go until I can't sleep in on Saturday's any more. Sigh.

Amy & Bill's Wedding...and the name saga continues

After travelling nearly 7 hours to Orlando, arriving after midnight, enjoying a fun few days helping Amy and Bill celebrate their nuptials, then driving back home after spending some quality time with John & Elisabeth and Max & Maryellen and the boys, we almost didn't make it through the list of 18 names. We ultimately started on the list somewhere south of Brunswick, not finishing until we were somewhere on the Columbia side of Hilton Head. All in all, we've not had a single argument over the names...oh we've had plenty of disagreements, but no arguments. We were able to get it down to two names and we're sitting on them for at least a few days, hoping we'll have a nod one way or the other. I have my favorite of the two, which may or may not be the one Jessica favors, but we both like the two finalists and don't think we can go wrong either way. No hints, no "make a guess"...we're just going to mull them over before making any decision. Never let it be said we don't give a lot of thought to these things. Also, I finally got around to uploading some additional ultrasound videos, plus some photos from the wedding this weekend. We've a OB appointment tomorrow (July 10). Tomorrow evening, and Thursday night too, we're taking an infant CPR/First Aid class at the local Red Cross.