Leaf

Today Isaac asked, "What will the name of our new baby be?"

He knows we don't have a name picked out, but he likes to talk about options. (It seems that everyone does. Well, except me. For some reason I don't enjoy the process of choosing a name. I just don't like that many names, I think. And perhaps I'm intimidated by the finality.)

So I turned it around and asked him, "What will her name be?"

In delight, he answered, "We don't know!" He paused for a moment, and then suggested Leaf.

"That's a pretty name," I said. "Should we name the baby Leaf? Do you think she would like that?"

"Could we ask her?" he wondered. Then, "Can she hear us?" I told him yes, although at this point he would probably have to get as close as possible. He ended up putting his mouth up to my belly and saying a tentative, "Hello, baby." It was very, very cute.

- - - - -

I guess he kept thinking about it, because about half an hour later he said, "Leaf. Leaf. Luh-luh-leaf. Leaf starts with an luh-luh-luh. With an L!"

I had just enough time to tell him he was right before he said, "And so does love!"

I was impressed. At his request we've recently resumed spelling things with our magnetic alphabet (for eight or nine months we had to keep them out of reach because all he wanted to do was toss them behind the refrigerator), and I've sounded out a few letters for him as we spelled, but I don't think L was one of them.

At dinner tonight I was telling this story to Craig, and he asked Isaac what letter mama started with.

"Mm-mm-mama," said Isaac. "M!"