Adventurous Pumpkin

We call her saint Dolly in my home, and it’s how I refer to her to anyone.

My son is also obsessed with this one and we just ordered the old Macdonald version! I don’t mind the songs but they do get stuck in my head in ways I never thought “hickory dickory dock” could

Sweet Tater

I love this name so so so much, but my husband vetoed. I think my HUGE crush on Ryder Strong (boy meets world) sealed the deal.

It’s a beautiful name. I too named my son a name that strangers crinkle their nose at. You get used to it and quickly learn that THEY DONT MATTER!!!!

As a former teacher I never once blinked an eye at any of my many many students who asked to be called by their middle name. Totally not weird. If you take away the adjective “middle” it’s just your name, so why get hung up on adjectives!

My brain is suddenly sooooo SLOW. It’s like any question I get asked has to go through five different filters before it pops into the right area of my mind that is actually able to process it, and then my mouth needs seven more filters to be able to form the words my brain has thought up…

It’s like I’m now so used to multitasking in every single aspect of my life to make sure toddler is okay, that even the simplistic questions like “are you cold?” throw me for a complete loop.

Are you cold?

Yes or no? It’s can’t be that simple… Check in with my body… check in with toddler body. Are we feeling the same air? Should I ask to put on heat or just bundle up myself instead? Does toddler need layers? Maybe his chest is warm but what about hands and feet? Did I give him enough water? Did I pack enough snacks? Is that light shining in his eyes? OH RIGHT, the temperature…. AM I COLD?! (And then I realize I’ve been silent for a while 60 seconds after the question was asked and now the person doesn’t care if I’m cold or not anymore they’re just annoyed I’m ignoring them…)

My son just turned two a couple weeks ago and we just had to order new shoes because he just keeps hitting growth spurt after growth spurt. He is now a size 9

I kept both IL’s and my own parents away from baby until he had his 3 months shots. Both would have to do extensive travel and I don’t have a great relationship with either pair (but FUCK my in-laws) and they would be nothing but a high-stress burden on what I needed to be a more peaceful and bonding time with my own child.

As a one and done mom of a boy, I wouldn’t rob my son and his partner of that special bonding time with their child if that’s what they want. Of course I’d be thrilled to be asked to be involved and hope to cultivate a good relationship with my son’s significant other one day, but I fully realize that those moments in their lives do NOT revolve around me, and if I’m kept away, it’s for their own peace of mind.

We have a book that we read to our toddler a lot (The Moon Keeper) where the main character’s name is Emile and husband and I always comment on how much we love the name. Never once considered it to be feminine. Beautiful name imo!

Check out Mercari for secondhand Mellisa and Doug toys

Laine or Love

I taught a student legally named Summer Love and in all seriousness, I think Love makes a perfect middle name

Summer always gave me happy/bubbly vibes

I experienced something very similar with my mom and I read somewhere that children of bipolar abusive parents, where they grow up in an environment where their physical and emotional safety is dependent on reading someone else’s emotions, can become so adept at interpreting what is going on underneath the surface of other people that it is nearly akin to being psychic. I can read even the most stoic person like a goddamn open book.

Emerson

Teacher: quiet, needs constant help and support but doesn’t like asking for it. Draining, but also kind… so kinda, neutral

River, Ocean, For(r)est, Autumn, Hunter

Waffles is my personal preference of the breakfast inspired word names