New Name

My parents are out of town, visiting Arizona, where my mom's grandfather lived and worked at the turn of the last century.  Whenever they are away the kids have lots of questions and more or less are mildly obsessed with it.  Last night's dinner conversation went from one family member to the next and then turned to names.
My dad's mother's name was Philomena originally, but she didn't like it, and changed it to Phyllis and eventually Fifi.  It's also traditional, according to her, to name the a granddaughter after the grandmother.  I'm not sure how this works, but she adamantly told us not to name the kids "Philomena" because she detested it.  So of course after hearing this story, Vivian decided to change her name to Philomena Vivian Myrra (after her other great-grandmother- the last two are actually her names).  Then she practiced writing and saying it a lot.  Luckily she decided it would just be her "home name," at school she would still go by Vivian. 

Although she did ask this morning how we pronounced her new name.

"My Name is..."

Lanie has recently decided that she has a variety of other names and personalities depending on her mood.  Most often she has become 'Vivian,' and when we call her Lanie, she says, "I am not Lanie, I am Vivian."
One of the first times she did this was on Thanksgiving when she was sitting on the couch.  My father's cousin sat down next to her and said, "Hi Lanie, how are you today?"
Lanie responded, "I am not Lanie, I am Vivian."
"Oh," said Lucille, "I'm confused, isn't that Vivian?" and pointed to Vivian.
"No," Lanie replied, "that is not Vivian, I am Vivian."

At this point we just call her the name she is telling us she is.  We cycle through Vivian a lot, sometimes Victoria, Vivian's friend, at bedtime when she wants to be cuddled she becomes "baby Ellen," a baby she attends home daycare with.  The other night she was helping me do something, and she became "Mama," and I was "Lanie," which got very confusing.
Yesterday however, she was hopping around the kitchen in the morning while Chris was trying to get her ready to leave for the day, and he called her a bunny.  For the rest of the day, we had to call her "Little Bunny Foo-Foo."  I think we sang the song about thirty times yesterday.

Sadly yesterday ending with the kids finding a kind of creepy version of Little Bunny Foo-Foo on YouTube in which Little Bunny Foo-Foo cackles a little bit manically, so the night ended with Lanie chasing them through the house while they yelled, "Little Bunny Foo-Foo is evil!  She's going to get us!"
Which caused Lanie to get a light saber and run after them trying to hit them.

Baby Names

TSo we are expecting another baby at the beginning of April.  The kids are kind of excited/ambivalent/possibly nervous, and depending on when you ask Vivian, in denial.

The subject of names often comes up, usually generated by Sam.  Here are some names that have been suggested:

• Luke Skywalker
• Fastie
• Bright Lights
• Sam
• Robber Boy 
• Batman
• Superman
• R2D2
• Catman (for a girl)

"What's Your Name?"

Vivian doesn't typically answer the question, "what's your name?"

She has a variety of answers.  Once, when I brought her into school to pick something up, a coworker asked what her name was. She replied, "Curious George."

Sometimes when people ask, she'll say, "Sam." (She also thinks she's five like him). 

Most of the time she says her name is, "Bethan." In which case I then need to explain, "that's my name, her name is Vivian," which people then think is hilarious.  

The other day a lady leaned down and said, "oh aren't you just adorable!  What's your name?" and Vivian gave her a charming smile and said, "Vivian."  Sam and I started cheering, the first time we had heard her say it correctly in response.  Vivian paused, "yes, name Vivian Bethan."  

Close enough.