What's in a [Nick]name?

When Mike and I first found out we were pregnant, we were of course super excited and downright giddy. :) BUT - we couldn't tell anyone or let on that we were expecting! This becomes even more difficult when you have a roommate that is not only a friend but also a step-cousin of sorts... to solve the problem of wanting to talk about the baby and constantly express our excitement while also in the company of others, we referred to Baby A as "sweet sweet baby squirrel." (..which, yes, came from a youtube video we had seen and fallen in love with just days after finding out about our sweet sweet baby...we chose to focus on the cuteness of the little girl, rather than the insanity of her affectionately holding a dead baby squirrel...don't judge!)

Saying "Sweet sweet baby squirrel" was a fun and, to me, endearing way of referring to our little human... soon, however, another nickname found its way into our circle...enter: Dwandy Anderson.

Memorial Day weekend 2012. Sitting on a boat on White Lake (Michigan) with the fam. I'm chatting with my cousins Jackson and Alex (who don't know yet about the baby). Jackson and I are randomly having a conversation about names (can you help me remember the context, Jack?? I can't!) and he laughingly says, "Dwayne... or Randy..." and I exclaim, "Or DWANDY!" We laughed at the ridiculousness of the name (because I'm hilarious, of course!) ...

Fast forward to a few days later when we announce the baby to some of our friends.. I share this little story with them as a joke about a boy name, and it catches. Suddenly, everyone is calling my sweet, perfect little peanut of a human being... DWANDY ANDERSON. Within minutes, Dwandy's 'voice' has a lisp and within hours, he has a facebook profile page, courtesy of our friend Matt!

Dwandy Anderson's [former] Facebook Profile Picture
Courtesy of Google Images

All very funny (I admit I was having a lot of fun with the whole thing, suggesting Dwandwea as an alternative girl name)... until.........

Going to bed one night, I am affectionately rubbing my belly and tell Mike that we should say goodnight to the baby. He leans over (awww, so sweeet!), touches my belly (ohhhh he's going to be such a great daddy!!...), and says, "Goodnight Dwandy!" (What?! Our baby is precious and perfect! 'Dwandy' is not!) I explained to Mike my inner monologue and told him he may NOT refer to the baby as Dwandy - it just didn't match my vision of the baby's perfection. (If you know me, you know when I get something in my head, I will defend the vision stubbornly at all costs...wonder where I got that from(Mom)? hehe)

Sadly, Dwandy's Facebook profile has been retired. The nickname has not, and I am enjoying the excitement in our friends' voices when they talk to or about Dwandy. :) But Mike, when you speak directly to the baby........... Dwandy is off-limits. K?  ..K.