What's in a Name?

Dear Baby Waider,

First, I want to give you some positive feedback. You are doing an awesome job of making sure your mom gets through this week! We are almost there. Just hang in for another day and get your mama through conference week. :) Plus mom will get to cuddle with you instead of having to go back to school before Christmas Break.

However, tonight I wanted to tell you a little bit about your name, how it was chosen, and a little bit about who you are named after. Presuming that our really nice ultrasound technician was right and you are in fact a girl your name will be Eleanor. If the ultrasound lady was wrong and you are a boy we have way bigger problems than coming up with a new name. For short we may call you Ellie or Elle. Your middle name is still being debated. Eleanor was my Grandma Hafner's first name. I understand she was never crazy about her name, but I've always thought it was really pretty. An added bonus is that Eleanor Roosevelt was pretty awesome too so you have some pretty strong women that have the same name as you. A triple bonus is that your mom or dad have not taught an Eleanor before, which is tough because your mom has been teaching for 12 years and your dad has taught for 10. We've known lots of kids during that time! Some names we'd use with fondness and other names we'd never use...

Anyway...A little about who you were named after. Your grandma Hafner was a great lady. She was always dressed very nicely and loved to shop. She could cook like no other and loved to have all of us over for dinner or take us out to dinner. She also loved to buy really cute, popular outfits for us and sometimes even matching outfits for your mom and your auntie. She LOVED a good joke and would have really benefited from the crazy of dirty jokes via email. She was into that long before it was popular. Your grandma loved a red beer here and there and wasn't afraid of hard work. In fact I think she worked really hard for most of her life. She started working when she was really young and was even a waitress in California. That's where she met my grandpa, who I never met because he sadly died long before I was born.

Grandma Hafner was known as the Grandma in Sturgis. You'll understand that someday. See she lived in Sturgis. She had a really neat yellow house up on a hill that looked over the town. It was always fun to go and visit grandma in Sturgis because she had a great yard and a great basement. The only toys that she had were a single basket of Legos and the board game Payday. I still don't understand the game Payday and I wonder where that game is today? Somehow we kept entertained for hours playing ship or hiking on the hill grandma was certain was infested with rattlesnakes. We did all of this as the aroma of a delicious dinner cooking filled the air. It was amazing. We would also walk down the hill to the park that had 4 swings and a merry-go-round. Sometimes we'd play tag in the cemetery. If we were really having a day we'd go downtown and eat at Bob's Family Restaurant and shop for a little while at Ingall's (spelling?). A little clothing store downtown Sturgis. Ingall's is long gone and Bob's isn't what it used to be. Then again, that was awhile ago.

Like I said you share your name with a pretty awesome woman. Your great grandma was a tough cookie. Don't get me wrong. She could be stubborn. Judging by your parents that is a trait that you could more than likely share with her. But overall she was a woman who cared deeply for her family, loved to surprise people, give presents, and worked her tail off. All traits that you could strive for. Also, she kept an impeccably clean house. Of course when I knew grandma the only person who lived with her was your Super Aunt Becky, or she lived alone. That makes it easy to keep a house really clean. I haven't even talked about her cooking. That woman could bake one mean cake with the best frosting ever. Thankfully your grandma Halter has mastered this cake so she'll make that for you someday. She also made delicious pies, roast beef, and the BEST fried chicken north of the Mason Dixon Line. Again, your Super Aunt is darn close on the fried chicken so you'll get to try that too.

Grandma Hafner passed away in 1996, when your mom was a freshman in college. It seemed too soon, but I never could have imagined her turning into an old lady. It just didn't fit her. She died with spunk in her step and truthfully defined growing old gracefully. I'm hoping that there is a little of her in you and if you are anything like your mother I know that will be true. ;)

Love,

Mom