What's in a Name?

Hailey will be a year old in March. I've been thinking back at what has happened in this last year. We've been so blessed. I wish there was a way to take pictures with my eyes all day long. I want to record every little thing that Hailey does. While I was thinking back, I realized I never recorded where Hailey's name came from. I know it's kinda lame and doesn't really matter, but I loved hearing the story of where my name came from when I was older. I figured I should record it so I don't forget it. I'm surprised I've remembered the story this long. haha. This blog post is mostly for me, so sorry if it's boring.

We actually came up with her middle name first. I was working at Artco Stationary in Rexburg, Idaho. It's a big warehouse that does tons of things, including wedding invitations. I was working in the wedding invitation sample room, where brides can request samples of different invitations and have them sent to them in the mail. I looked at different girls' names on envelopes all day long. I was constantly searching for a name that I liked. One day I came across the name Lexie Ray. I seriously paused. It was weird. I stared at it for a long time. I loved that name. It was that girl's full name, but I loved it as a first and middle name (spelled RAE for the middle). I went home and told Travis, and of course his response is, "It's okay I guess". He wasn't much of a help in the name selecting business.

So I knew I loved Rae as a middle name. Like LOVED. I was pretty much obsessed with it. But I wasn't sure about Lexie. We had a few names picked out that we kept switching between. Lexie, Jocelyn (Josie), and Amy. I would be okay with one on one day, but switch the next. I searched and searched online for a first name that popped out at me. I would think I found it, but then I didn't like it anymore. It was so discouraging. I didn't think we'd ever get a name picked out. Then one night I sat up in the middle of the night and woke Travis up. I said, "Travis I know what we need to name her." He asked what, and I said, "HAILEY". He immediately said, "That's it, it's perfect".

So TADA! Hailey Rae. From the moment I put those two names together I knew it was the name for our baby girl. And I can't imagine any other name fitting this crazy girl's personality quite like Hailey Rae does. We love our little diva daughter. We gave her a name she can use when she's famous someday. Maybe a country singer, an actress, a dancer- whatever she wants. It works.

Anyways, that's my story.