What's In A Name

I love coffee. And Amy Schumer.

I used to think other Amys were weird. My mom told me she chose my name off a list of names teachers liked. (Great story, Mom.) And that about summed up my experience with other Amys. And my existence. We were well like by teachers and other than that we had nothing in common. I probably should have been named something else, but now we'll never know because once you name someone something that's what they are. My friend Tiana - she could never be anything but a Tiana. Henry, is totally a Henry. My old friend Sung? He is Sung and that's it. 

But, Amy? I can't even say it correctly when people ask me what my name is. I just end up saying it all nasally and weird, and ultimately the Starbucks people write "Emmy", or "Auntie", or once I got "Meat" on my latte cup. I must have had a cold that day.

I used to turn my head when someone called another Amy and I'd look and my initial thought was always, "I look nothing like that girl. Like, absolutely nothing like her." Which is the dumbest thought I could ever have because OF COURSE I look nothing like her. We have the same name, not the same parents. But my brain takes its own path down the road of crazy sometimes, so there you go. I not only feel connected to people named Amy, I also feel very weird about them.

UNTIL, that is.

Until recently.

Recently the Amys in the world are being a little less weird. My sister-in-law for instance. We now have the exact same name. She's totally cool. She's exactly what I thought an Amy would be like, funny, smart, pretty, short(er than me) and blonde. We look nothing alike. And then there's Amy Poheler and Amy Schumer. I don't know them, but they are both funny, smart, pretty, short(er than me) and blonde. 

My point is I'm coming around to my name. 

A little bit.

My other point is that naming children is hard. Because that is what they will be called forever! It's like you pick a name and you hand them a personality. It's very serious business. You want to name your daughter Bambi, that's cool. But I think we all know what she's going to be like. (A Jewish surgeon from Connecticut, obviously.) You'll never meet an unfriendly Sam, but a girl Sam, that's a whole different story. I named my daughter Tula and it was the best decision I've ever made. She is a Tula to the bone. Addie on the other hand, she might actually be a Suri. Only time will tell.

(Kidding.)

Speaking of Addie!

Guess who lost her first tooth!

Yes, she's a little too young to lose her teeth, but she fell out of bed a few months ago and knocked her teeth. They wiggled slightly, but the doctor assured us they would "harden up" again. But Adeline Leigh sucks her thumb, so I have a feeling that kept those pearly whites wiggling. And then one day, she could flip it totally upside down and I was like, "OH HOLY MOLEY GET THE PLIERS!" and Josh kept saying, "Come here. I'll just give it a quick chaw!" while he made a fast pulling motion. This of course made Addie scream and cry and run away. All the while Josh followed her around the house going, "Just a little chaw!"

"No, Dad please!"

"Chaw!"

"Daddy, stop!"

"A little chaw chitty chaw!"

"No! Please no chaw!" *totally crying now*

Being a parent is so fun. 

It fell out, all on it's own with no chaw-ing at all, in the bathtub and she found it through all the soap and toys. And the tooth fairy did indeed show up. And even wrote her a letter which she carries around with her everywhere.*

She has never been so proud of herself.

How is she so big already?!

*The tooth fairy letter was written by the manly chaw-er himself. He is a really good dad.