Here we are, a short thirty days before our daughter is due to make her appearance! We started this blog today because last night we finally agreed to agree on the final draft of her name. I'm leaving this blog private until she arrives, so that there are no leaks (though most of our friends already know her name).Jamie and I fell in love with the name Hazel after meeting a beautiful three year old on a ferry from Deer Isle, Maine to Ile au Haut. I was only about nine weeks pregnant. It clicked for us both immediately, but we kept our options open. Nothing ever replaced that name as our top choice, though we tried to consider many other beautiful ones. I was already decided, but Jamie was afraid to say it out loud or commit to anything. Last night, at the amazingly fun Baby Party that our friends Michelle and Anthony had for us, Cristina and Ben dragged it out of Jamie and convinced him that it was indeed a perfect name for our daughter. He came home and wrote it out a dozen times, and said that it had in fact, been how he had been referring to her in his head for months already. So it's settled.
Her middle name, Ana is for our grandmothers. My grandmother Anna died in 2004 and she was such an important part of my life. I always felt her unconditional love, (unlike many other people in my life). She loved Jamie instantly, and though I couldn't be there for her when she died, Jamie held her hand and whispered love in her ear as she passed on. I know how much that meant to her and to me. I'll never forget her smell, her voice, her love, her 'eench'-ing me to death! Eench-eh: What's wrong? Eench bes-es: Whats going on? Eench gouz-es: What do you want? Eench gouz-es oud-es: What do you want to eat? Eench anooshig-es: What can I get for you, my sweet little girl? Hokes: My soul... There is nothing quite like an Armenian grandmother.
Jamie's grandmother Ann died in 2006 after a long struggle with Alzheimer's disease. Jamie always remembers his grandmother as the matriarch of his family, loving powerfully on his brothers, his cousins and himself during their summers in Wells Beach. She made his childhood so special and she was in the forefront of many of his happiest memories. Watching such an important woman deteriorate over the last few years of her life was heartbreaking for Jamie, and I'm so sorry that I never got to know the woman he speaks of.
A branch of the hazel tree is carried for protection, and we know that Grammy Ann and Metzmeyrig Anna are looking down on and protecting our family, too. We think that Hazel's name is perfect. We hope you do to.
So, we are coming to the end of this pregnancy thing, thank god. I think that this last four weeks is going to be the most difficult part of this whole journey. Jamie and I are so anxious to meet our girl, and I'm starting to get unbearably uncomfortable. Everything is almost ready for her to arrive, though there are a few little things we have yet to pick up and finish in her room. I don't think that she will notice. Her room looks so adorable. It's exactly what we had in mind for her, and it's such a happy, bright space for a happy, bright girl. We have so many plans, so many things we can't wait to do with her, so many things we can't wait to teach her. It's going to be a fun ride...
We decided to make this blog a central place to post stories, pictures, videos and other stuff so that our friends and family who live far away and who we see infrequently can feel like they have a window into our little tribe. Please feel free to check this blog as often as you like for updates about Hazel's life, and ours with her. This blog is going to be available at your convenience, and will be updated at our convenience. We expect to be quite busy for some time. We will be sending our updates to this blog instead of emailing photos, so it's up to you to check it! Come back often, and thank-you for being a part of Hazel's life.
