When “we” were preparing for Elli’s birth, I made most of the purchases/decisions. I researched the best stroller, picked out all the gear (with much help from my friend Lili) and sewed all her bedding. Together we chose her name, Eliza Catherine, as a memory of both our maternal grandmothers. We loved the name Ellie and thought these fit nicely together.
On November 29, 2000, when the doctor shouted, “It’s a girl!” I was shocked. I wanted a daughter so badly and couldn’t believe she was mine! As they asked us what her name and spelling was going to be, Nathan spoke up and gave the spelling “Elli” – I was surprised. We had never discussed her nickname spelling and as a teacher I was so against an odd version because I knew it would always be written incorrectly. But… for someone with very few opinions, I hated to squelch his enthusiasm, so I kept it the way he chose.
Until…. this summer Elli declared that she was changing her name to Ellie. She was sick of people pronouncing her name “Eli” or writing it, “Ellie.” Very few people got it correct. I began researching what it takes to change a name until my wise friend Joni explained to me that we can change her nickname to anything we want – Eliza Catherine is on the birth certificate.
It still surprises me every time I see one of her papers from school, but she hasn’t forgotten once. She is thrilled with it and secretly so am I!
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