Ultrasound, Predicitons, and Names

I have my ultrasound tomorrow morning. I am determined to not find out what we're having, even if they threaten to point something out. I always waver at this point: I think, wouldn't it be nice to know? And then I remember what a great surprise it was to find out we had a girl at the moment of birth. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

There is the usual pre-test apprehension. I will probably not sleep much tonight, which will make the 8:45 appointment that much more unbearable. There will also be no time for a nap, due to some very fun plans I have ;)

I am going alone to the appointment. It turned out this way last time too: It was at a time when Josh couldn't make it. I wish he could be there. He's never seen an ultrasound.

Naomi is still ironclad in her opinion that she's going to have a sister. "a girl baby!" she says, when I ask her, with a look on her face like, when is this lady going to stop asking me this stupid question?

And what's her name? "Mare-ee-ah" We still haven't figured out how to spell it. I really hate the idea of having my daughter grow up with a name that's beautiful but more often that not disastrously mispronounced. (I remember all three people who got "Kateri" right on the first try during my formative years. One was my second grade teacher, one was my middle school band director and French horn teacher, and the other was a nun in high school.)

We are considering going with the more coherent "Miriam". It kind of funny, two people who deeply distrust their Judeo-Christian roots, picking two fairly old-fashioned and obscure Jewish names. But Naomi and Miriam go well together. Plus, Miriam has the added significance of being the name of the daughter of the Bible's most famous birthmother. I like it.

Part of me (half, thereabouts) is still holding out for a baby Milo. But as much as I'd like a Milo, I don't want Naomi to be wrong. Being wrong is no fun at all.

Comments

[Lucy]

mairya
mairia
merria?
It sounds like a nice name; there's got to be a way to spell it so it's pronounceable correctly. Maybe a linguist could help. Or even better, phonetician is apparently a real profession :)
Of course, Miriam is a beautiful name, too.

[Cari]

Miriam is beautiful. Maybe I'm just too anal... but I wanted my kids' names to go "together," too. Sending positive vibes for a good ultrasound.

[giddy]

I wanted to name my second daughter Naomi, but then, since our last name is the same as a famous soup, she'd have the same name as a tall lanky supermodel, and I just couldn't do that to my likely-to-be short, squat, and very fair child! I also love the name Miriam, and think the names go very well together. (Another possibility for you could be Mara--which is what the biblical Naomi changed her name to when her life went south [Mara means bitter--but is the origin of Mary--and for that matter I always thought that the biblical Mary's REAL name was Miriam too, so those names must also be related!]) Anyway. I'm with you on giving children names that can be easily pronounced (my name is also quite unusual). A second thing is that it's nice if they are easily spelled upon hearing them. You might be able to come up with a spelling for "Merria" that would be properly pronounced on sight, but it would still only rarely be properly spelled upon hearing!

[Running2Ks]

I love your name choices.

And could you have the u/s tech e-mail me the gender? I won't tell :)

[Lisa V]

When I was pregnant with Daughter #2, Daughter #1 used to say the "the baby's name is Maggie." We considered it, but then they would both have names beginning with M. My sister and I both have L. It was really easy for people to mess up our names. So we stayed away from Maggie.

We never knew if we were having a boy or girl and loved finding out at delivery. However I did get tempted sometimes. After all my doctor knew.

[Valerie]

Kateri,

OK, this isn't about the names. I do like Miriam, however, and your blog. I check almost everyday these days.

I was wondering what you thought about ultrasounds. I read a blog of my sister's friend and she believes US are 'cell boiling' and you have similar beliefs as she does WRT nursing, slinging, doula-ing, etc. so I was expecting you to be more against this 'unnecessary medical intervention'.

I had twins so I had US every month and then once or twice a week in the last month or two. The boys are 9 months now and seem fine to me... :)

What do you and your training say about US? Just wondering...

Valerie

[Marivic]

Hi Kateri,

Miriam sounds lovely. (Mereia? As the owner of one impossible name I'm a big fan, it can be a lot of fun!) My girls are: Ashlei, Sabrina, and twins Danica and Danielle. If lumpy here (I'm 21 weeks) is another girl, we're thinking Lola Valencia. Boy lumpy will be Jack Dalton.

We're not finding out either.

I'm really enjoying your blog. As a relatively young mother (mine are 17, 16, 14 and 14, I'm 33) it wasn't always easy to make confident choices. I am reminded with your writing that, sometimes, the confidence comes later. But it comes. Thanks for sharing.

Enjoy the ultrasound (it's soooo hard not to peak)!

[jessica]

It doesn't matter how you spell it. I'm quite confident you're having a boy ;) Although I do put a lot of faith into children's predictions. that mystical bond of siblings and all...

[Beth]

How about Marea or Mareia?

[JP]

i'm excited for you and this little one joining your family!!