What Is In a Name?

When my husband and I were researching names for our firstborn there were far too many names on which we did not mutually agree. The one name that I could not part with was Malakai. The name had been a long time love of mine and the death grip I had on it was too strong to break. It didn't take long to persuade my husband of less than 6 months to go along with the name after I explained the baby's nickname would be Kai. He liked "Kai" and bonded with that name for next several months.


In our 4th month, when most parents are eager to find out the sex of their baby, we decided to go against the grain and not find out what we were having. There was just something exciting about not knowing. It may have been slightly archaic but the decision to wait was one that made my adrenaline soar for the next 5 months. Was it going to be a boy or a girl? I was looking forward to holding our beautiful little Malakai in my arms. "But wait," I thought "we have not decided on a girl's name yet! We must start researching more names." We had decided that if Malakai was to be our choice of boy name, then perhaps we should find a girl's name that starts with M as well. That way we could call it Baby M until the day of it's birth. The only name we could both agree on was Maya - divine creative force in everything.


Even until the day I was induced, I was convinced the little baby I would soon be holding would be Malakai. But after 18 hours of easy labour (thanks to a good dose of epidural anesthesia) I was handed our precious little Maya and the tears started to flow. I was overwhelmed with emotion, I was overwhelmed with the sudden responsibility that laid before me, I was overwhelmed with the shock of having a princess in my arms instead of a prince! Looking back, I wouldn't have had it any other way. My princess has turned into a beautiful sculpture of God's handiwork. In her three short years, she has lived up to her name - Maya, the divine creative force in everything. She is divine: she says her prayers and sings Jesus loves me to the top of her lungs in the middle of the grocery store. She says in no uncertain tone that she wants to go to Jesus School when she gets older. Maya is creative: she can create a magical story of floating balloons and giant chocolate castles at a moment's notice. She paints, she colors, she recites word-for-word the dialogue from all of her favorite shows. Maya is the force in everything: no need for Obi-Wan Kenobi to tell this girl to "use the force" because it is always her mode of action. Her mind operates at the speed of light and her intelligence astounds even the newest of friends. She can single-handedly hold her equally weighted brother in an arm bar until he yells "Top!" (Stop!) Maya is not only the most beautiful girl in my life, but the most perfectly swaddled divine force I could ever have been handed.

Day of Birth: September 29, 2006

First Birthday

Second Birthday

Third Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY SWEET, SWEET ANGEL!

Are you wondering why we did not choose "Malakai" as our son's name? It was simple...we just knew that God had only leased that name to us for a little while. The story of the pursuit to find Declan's name will come on his birthday. For now - we are celebrating three precious years with our loving daughter.