How we named our Annie
Often times when you announce your baby's name, you get one of three responses (1) Oh how lovely (2) Oh... thats nice [translated to..GAG] (3) Oh cool! How'd you come up with that name?
Well I'm glad you asked. I would love nothing more than to tell you how we decided on a name for our baby girl.
The middle name was easy: (actually, this was the tricky part!) My BFF suggested it, we liked it... and it works well with Annie. BAM.
The last name: Duh.
And now for the first name, the name that holds a sweet, sweet place in my heart. Annie.
Typically when you hear the name Annie, you think of one thing: the little orphan. I, however, think of her:
This is my grandma. Annie Louise. We thought about naming her exactly that, but Louise is a little "southern" for my taste.
Growing up, this dear lady was all I had in regard to grandparents. My paternal grandpa was a deadbeat, my paternal grandmother died of cancer when I was young, and my maternal grandpa (my grandma Annie's husband) was killed 4 years before I was born. So for me, she was it. However, she was the best. Both of my parents worked while we were growing up - and my grandma was always eager to help out. No matter how tired or how busy she was, she never minded watching us (not to mention she made the best ramen noodles known to man. I think it was that cute little metal ladle [measuring cup] she used to scoop them out with hehe). She always had time for us. In the 9th grade she would help me with my algebra after school - she was so smart. And while she was not a wealthy woman, she spoiled us to pieces. If my dad wasn't giving me what I wanted, she would threaten to bend him over her knee and give him a good ol' fashioned spanking with her fly swat. She never missed a band concert, she was there for my high school graduation, she was there when I went off to college, she was there when my parents gave me away to my husband, and she was there when we packed up and moved 14 hours away to open a new chapter of our lives. Every time she hugged me she would squeeze me so hard I thought I would turn blue..but I never complained. Her hugs were the best. At the age of 87 she even flew from Arkansas to West Virginia to spend the week with me. I've never seen her have such a great time! She loved to hear about what was going on in my life. She could talk - and listen - for hours. She was happy... and always smiling...though in her old age she could be awfully ornery! She loved me more than I can ever imagine...and I loved her. In a way, I'm glad she was the only grandparent I've ever known. I never had to share my milestones with any others. They were all with her. Every birthday, every holiday... everything - was hers.
Steven and I decided about 2 years ago that if we ever had a girl, we would name her Annie. To me, there is no name as beautiful.
My grandma died in January of this year.
The last time I got to see her was when we were visiting over Christmas (3 months before Annie baby was conceived). One evening she was in a lot of pain, so my mom gave her some meds to help relieve it. I tell you the meds must have really kicked in because within a few hours she was flying high. We felt terrible for laughing... but she was a hoot!! While she was in a good mood my mom told me I should tell her what we wanted to name our baby girl if we ever had one...because she might not ever have the opportunity to meet her. So I looked over at her - she was grinning ear to ear.. just smiling... to be smiling (again, the drugs) and I said, "Grandma, I wanted to tell you - if Steven and I ever have a girl... do you know what we are going to name her?" She kept staring at me... with that big grin on her face... so I asked her again. "What?" She says. I tell her, "Annie." She keeps smiling. I say, "Grandma, do you know who's name that is?" She responds, "Well yeah, that's my name!" I ask, "Well, is it alright if I name my baby girl after you?" She said, "Well I reckon so! It's a good name." Mom and I both laughed. At that point she seemed a little too flighty for me to continue the conversation.
The next day, once the meds had cleared out I asked her, "Grandma, Do you remember what I told you last night?" She stared at me blankly. "About what I'm going to name my daughter," I reminded her. "Oh yeah," she said, "Annie" And so I ask her again, "Would it be alright if I named her after you?" Again with a big smile her her face, she just sat there grinning, she nodded her head up and down, and said "Mmm Hmm.." I asked her what she thought a good middle name would be (at the time I was drawing a blank) and she told me that whatever I chose would be just fine. In a way I'm glad that this was her answer... because I have a feeling that no matter what she would have said, little Annie would have been stuck with that name, no matter how horrid.
This was one of the last memories I have of my grandmother. I'm so incredibly thankful and blessed to have had her as mine - and am honored to name my daughter after such a wonderful lady. And when my Annie gets older and asks me how I came up with her name, I will have quite a tale to tell her about her Great Grandmother Annie.
Well I'm glad you asked. I would love nothing more than to tell you how we decided on a name for our baby girl.
Annie Elise Alexander
The middle name was easy: (actually, this was the tricky part!) My BFF suggested it, we liked it... and it works well with Annie. BAM.
The last name: Duh.
And now for the first name, the name that holds a sweet, sweet place in my heart. Annie.
Typically when you hear the name Annie, you think of one thing: the little orphan. I, however, think of her:
This is my grandma. Annie Louise. We thought about naming her exactly that, but Louise is a little "southern" for my taste.
Growing up, this dear lady was all I had in regard to grandparents. My paternal grandpa was a deadbeat, my paternal grandmother died of cancer when I was young, and my maternal grandpa (my grandma Annie's husband) was killed 4 years before I was born. So for me, she was it. However, she was the best. Both of my parents worked while we were growing up - and my grandma was always eager to help out. No matter how tired or how busy she was, she never minded watching us (not to mention she made the best ramen noodles known to man. I think it was that cute little metal ladle [measuring cup] she used to scoop them out with hehe). She always had time for us. In the 9th grade she would help me with my algebra after school - she was so smart. And while she was not a wealthy woman, she spoiled us to pieces. If my dad wasn't giving me what I wanted, she would threaten to bend him over her knee and give him a good ol' fashioned spanking with her fly swat. She never missed a band concert, she was there for my high school graduation, she was there when I went off to college, she was there when my parents gave me away to my husband, and she was there when we packed up and moved 14 hours away to open a new chapter of our lives. Every time she hugged me she would squeeze me so hard I thought I would turn blue..but I never complained. Her hugs were the best. At the age of 87 she even flew from Arkansas to West Virginia to spend the week with me. I've never seen her have such a great time! She loved to hear about what was going on in my life. She could talk - and listen - for hours. She was happy... and always smiling...though in her old age she could be awfully ornery! She loved me more than I can ever imagine...and I loved her. In a way, I'm glad she was the only grandparent I've ever known. I never had to share my milestones with any others. They were all with her. Every birthday, every holiday... everything - was hers.
Steven and I decided about 2 years ago that if we ever had a girl, we would name her Annie. To me, there is no name as beautiful.
My grandma died in January of this year.
The last time I got to see her was when we were visiting over Christmas (3 months before Annie baby was conceived). One evening she was in a lot of pain, so my mom gave her some meds to help relieve it. I tell you the meds must have really kicked in because within a few hours she was flying high. We felt terrible for laughing... but she was a hoot!! While she was in a good mood my mom told me I should tell her what we wanted to name our baby girl if we ever had one...because she might not ever have the opportunity to meet her. So I looked over at her - she was grinning ear to ear.. just smiling... to be smiling (again, the drugs) and I said, "Grandma, I wanted to tell you - if Steven and I ever have a girl... do you know what we are going to name her?" She kept staring at me... with that big grin on her face... so I asked her again. "What?" She says. I tell her, "Annie." She keeps smiling. I say, "Grandma, do you know who's name that is?" She responds, "Well yeah, that's my name!" I ask, "Well, is it alright if I name my baby girl after you?" She said, "Well I reckon so! It's a good name." Mom and I both laughed. At that point she seemed a little too flighty for me to continue the conversation.
The next day, once the meds had cleared out I asked her, "Grandma, Do you remember what I told you last night?" She stared at me blankly. "About what I'm going to name my daughter," I reminded her. "Oh yeah," she said, "Annie" And so I ask her again, "Would it be alright if I named her after you?" Again with a big smile her her face, she just sat there grinning, she nodded her head up and down, and said "Mmm Hmm.." I asked her what she thought a good middle name would be (at the time I was drawing a blank) and she told me that whatever I chose would be just fine. In a way I'm glad that this was her answer... because I have a feeling that no matter what she would have said, little Annie would have been stuck with that name, no matter how horrid.
This was one of the last memories I have of my grandmother. I'm so incredibly thankful and blessed to have had her as mine - and am honored to name my daughter after such a wonderful lady. And when my Annie gets older and asks me how I came up with her name, I will have quite a tale to tell her about her Great Grandmother Annie.
Awe. That is terrific! What a story! Made me cry.
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