It's A Girl...With a Brand New Name

Kegan officially has a "girl name" now. Over the weekend she asked us, "Is my name a girl name?" I answered, "No, it is a boy name." I then explained that some names are only girl names like Mary, Sally, and Maria. Some names are only boy names like her name, Jeff, and Michael. But some names could be a boy name or a girl name like Jamie, Kelly, or Carey. 

We asked her if she wanted a girl name and she said she did. We explained that the three of us would have to agree on whatever name was chosen. I felt pressure to pick a name sooner rather than slowly because she is desperate to be seen as a girl and her name is (was) the only thing really preventing that. 

In the past, I had close to nine months to pick the perfect name. Picking a name in just a few days time, that not only two, but three people loved was not quite the leisurely path I have strolled down before. 

When a name was suggested (by me, yay me!) that Kegan, her dad, and I all loved we decided to select it. I was hesitant to pick a name without at least a few weeks to mull it over, test it out, make sure it was "the one." But my husband was brave and said, "Let's do it, she likes it and so do we."

So the next morning, the day after I had "tried it out" on her a few times, we told her she could be called by the special new name if she would like. She smiled and said, "Yes." And that was the big milestone moment...much like everything on this journey, very casual, very simple, and very anti-climatic. 

With a few days of her new name under my belt, I am confident in saying, "It is the perfect name." It is not the name I had chosen if she had been identified as a girl in the hospital and I am quite sure it is a name that was never on my radar as a possible name choice for either of my kids. I don't even think I ever named a doll this name. But it is perfect, beautiful and strong, has a special meaning that fits perfectly with this transition and the values we strive to teach Kegan and Sean. It flows perfectly off my lips when I look at her and say her name, it blends beautifully with Sean's name, and is a perfect match with our last name, I am unbelievably happy with this name choice.  

Even more important is Kegan's happiness with it. She seems to truly love her name. Whether she really thinks this is the most beautiful girl name ever or is simply happy to have a name that makes people only expect a girl, I can't say.  But frequently she says, "Thank you for saying my name automatically." She has thanked Sean when he remembers to use her new name or when he quickly corrects himself. She even called all her grandparents to tell them and when they immediately praised the name choice, her smile said it all. 

So here's to what I kind of consider the final step in this first chapter. This chapter feels like it should be a cliffhanger because I constantly do not know what is happening next, but instead it feels peaceful.