Pintiquinestra

A late entry, but critical to every pregnancy, is Grandpa Tolley's baby name submission. Erini was to be named after a Babylonian Emperor (Shalmaneser), while Baby #2 has been suggested with a name a bit more common place, but still odd. If you are familiar with the full work of Don Quixote, the name Pintiquinestra wouldn't sound quite that out of place. I have to admit it did sound a little familiar when I first heard it, but I think Caitlin and I will stick to the original plan.

We have a name picked out for a boy - Lachlin Joseph Ray - but Friday's ultrasound confirmed that Caitlin is carrying another girl. Hence we will be going forward with the name Bronwyn Bell. With Rini, we were going back and forth about the middle name right up to the instant she was born. In the end, our first born went home with the name Erini Tiana. It wasn't until a few months later that I realized our daughter's initials spelled out the abbreviation for the Latin term et cetra. Now, I'm about to have a daughter whose initials are more closely identified with the British Broadcasting Corporation.

Then again, the worst thing would be to name my children after employment positions and office equipment ie. Desk, Financial, Historical, Bank. I'm sure we wouldn't be allowed to leave the hospital unless we came up with a better name. If the Hospital staff didn't put their foot down, I'm sure our families would.

As this is our second baby, I've been asked many times if this is like rolling off a log. For the first 36 weeks, I would have to agree. But the past four weeks have been new territory. Everyday, I was half expecting the call to come that Caitlin was in labour and I would have to meet her at the hospital. That call never came. It started to feel like it would never come, which my wife would heartily disagree. The due date couldn't get here quick enough, and now that it's passed, tomorrow morning she is going to be induced. Should inducement fail, baby will be removed via Caesarian. One way or another, baby WILL be born tomorrow.

And that's the funny thing. I know that tomorrow, I'll have a baby laying in the bassinet we have set up in our room. Sleeping? Depends on the time of day, but I know I'm going to have to get to bed early tonight. It might be the last time for awhile I'll have the chance to sleep through the night.

Details will follow as I get them, but for now, I'm going to help my wife back a hospital bag.

Godspeed.