What's in a Name?

When I was pregnant with Stinks, my husband basically refused to say that he agreed with a name until the very last minute. It was annoying for many reasons. First, I think he just wanted to be in control of something (and we all know who's actually in control over her, right?). Secondly, starting at week seven, I barfed multiple every single day until the day I delivered, and feeling nauseated while someone else is pretending to be in control is just annoying. Third...it was terribly annoying.

Anyway, left with no other option, I named the baby Nauseous Bile and called him "NB" for short. People were convinced that I would call him NB forever and started to insist that we find a name for this baby. Again, there was no convincing my husband to concede and tell me whether he agreed to the name I liked or not. About two weeks before I was induced, he finally agreed to a name, but there we were in the delivery room and right as they lifted Stinks up so I could see him, my first thought was, "So, you're NB, huh? Dude. You are so...purple." I mean, really, he was. The thought crossed my mind and I said to myself, "Aw, man. We didn't have a cute baby." Never in my entire life had I seen such purple, gooey, and cone-headed newborn. It was unreal and a little scary.

I hadn't slept a wink the night before Stinks was born (because I was awake and vomiting...okay, sushi the night before you deliver a baby was probably not the best idea I have ever had, but I still maintain that it was Stinks's idea) and the epidural made me all itchy, so they gave me Benadryl.  I was asleep between pushes. Travis had this confused look on his face. Maybe it was the lack of sleep, but I could not imagine calling this baby by his name.

I promised I wouldn't call Stinks "NB" anymore after he had a name, and I only call him NB every now and then. But, it has become  obvious that I  have an issue with nicknaming things because I haven't call Stinks his real name in months now. He is called Stinks, Boons, Boons Farms, Boozie, Beebee, and Hunsie most of the time. I only worried about this when I was reading a pamphlet the pediatrician gave me which stated that by nine months, a baby should respond to their name when it is called. I guess we'll see what happens when they try to check this milestone at our next appointment.