What's in a Name

I've been having some serious doubts about Hayden's name lately. I usually love his name, but the other day I was in a store & a lady behind me was getting after her child, also named Hayden. It probably wouldn't have been a big deal, except...the kid was not very cute and was terribly disobedient. I know that sounds horrible to say out loud, but you know good and well everyone has thought something similar!

Not that I can criticize too much in the obedience department right now...I just sent my Hayden to bed for at least the 10th time tonight. Make that 11.

I asked Hayden if I could change his name and started calling him Harry. I mean he is only 3, why would he care what his name is? Serves me right for asking, he wanted nothing to do with being renamed. He actually was belligerent when I tried calling him Harry a couple of times. I mean come on, what's in a name?

Richard Harrison, that's a good trade isn't it? Before he was born I asked Rob if we could name him Harrison...he declined emphatically.

His reasoning behind the immediate rejection was this: we knew if we had a boy his middle name was going to be Richard, after my dad, and if his name was Harrison his nickname was inevitably going to be Harry.

Stick with me now this IS going somewhere...(mainly toward the gutter)

With a first name Harry and middle Richard the teasing potential was HUGE based on the fact that the nickname for Richard isn't always Rick or Rich...do you see the problem?

Now back to my current quandary...couldn't I change the order of the names to Richard Harrison and have him go by Harry and be okay? I thought so, but now instead of having only Rob strongly against having a son named Harry, my son that would be named Harry is adamantly against it.

Hayden it is then, disobedient, ugly kid at the store or not...Goodbye Harry!