the name game

More cute Phin stories:  This morning he slept in for the first time in ages and when he did wake up he yelled, "Hooray!"  Sometimes it is just nice to be alive.  He also ran in from the bathroom the other day and told me that his bumbum was singing a song.  So funny.  On Friday I had to run to Sam's Club so he wanted a hot dog and I got a slice of pizza.  When he saw my pizza he wanted some so I said, "Do you want to share with Mommy?"  "No," he said, "I want mommy to share with Phin."  I wasn't getting any hot dog, thank you very much.  It is great when kids start talking more and you can hear what they really think about everything.  He also tells everyone he's "O" (complete with thumb and index finger forming a circle) if they ask how old he is and will go to great lengths to correct me if I happen to mention that he's 3.  


Last week I drove past Charles' school and he happened to be out on the field for P.E.  I waved and one of his friends announced to everyone that I was pregnant.  Charles then told them that we were going to name the baby Oscar (his current favorite since they just watched Schindler's List at school) and they all asked him if his baby brother was going to be Mexican.  Did you all know that that name was now exclusively latino?  I didn't.  At any rate the naming is not going well.  I have never had such a hard time!  I think we have usually narrowed things down more a bit by now.  It can't be too common or popular, no surnames or place names, nothing made up or too outlandish, and of course, nothing too easy to make fun of.

• Oscar: too hispanic (apparently), not to mention the grouch and wiener associations
• Felix: with Phoebe (Ibby's middle name which she may choose to go by someday) and Phin, too many F sounds -- how about Phoelix?  Also Ella thinks it sounds like a male stripper (I don't know where she acquired the expertise on this topic, but I'm sure that if pressed we could come up with some better ones -- Buck?)
• Casper: Matthew's favorite, but would require legally changing Phin's middle name.  I don't approve.
• Lorenzo: too Italian; Mormons like it, but with anyone else we are met with blank stares
• Archie: too harsh when yelled -- you should try it.  Yell Archie and then yell something softer, like Phin.  I'll wait...  Do you see what I mean?  I yell a lot.  I could try to make it more sing-songy, but you never know what his future wife might do.
• Oliver: getting too common
• Atticus, Silas, Wallace: ends with -us sound so too close to Phineas
• Ira: too Jewish
• Horatio, Sebastian: pretty long with no good nicknames
• Nigel, Clive, Alistair: too British
• Bertram, Clarence, Percival: too nerdy -- I like them, but he could be scrawny and smart so we'd better be nice

Then there are names that I like the female version of, but not the male version.  For example, Clement which is lovely as Clementine, but just not that great for a boy.  I think Clem is a really cute nickname.  Sometimes when my mind wanders I think of things like Pelican, Hyperbole, or Tortilla.  Granted, these all sound fantastic with Smith... note: don't let mind wander.  Perhaps I'm over thinking this and should just go with my mom's suggestion of naming him after her brother, father, and grandfather: John Smith.  It's a classic.