Laina wasn’t always Laina, she was supposed to be Kalia. (pronounced: Lay-nuh and Kuh-lee-yuh). My heart was SET on Kalia. A Google search told me it was Hawaiian for ‘beautiful’ and and that sealed it. It couldn’t be more perfect.
I shared her name with everyone and for seven months that’s what I called my growing belly.
Little Kalia.
Dear, sweet, adorable, chocolate-covered Kalia.
When I was seven months along Pat and I took a trip to Hawaii with Maile in tow. We shared our baby name with the family and the family was all “Kalia’s nice…but it definitely doesn’t mean ‘beautiful’…it’s actually a type of Hawaiian tree”.
And then Pat was all “We’re not naming our daughter after a tree” and with that, my seven months of calling my baby Kalia had ended.
I was irritated.
So WHAT if it was a tree…it’s a pretty name!
When we got home I went to visit my Mom and my sister and I was all “OMG I’m so annoyed with Pat!” and I told them about the name issue and I was all “The thing is I’ve thought of EVERY name possible and I really love Kalia!! That’s it. There is no other name! I mean, I challenge anyone to come up with a name that I might like better than Kalia! It’s just not going to happen and I’m so mad at Pat!”
My sister was concerned. Naming future children is a favorite past time of hers and she felt my pain on the loss of a name I had my heart set on.
She furrowed her brow and when I finished talking she said, “What about….Laina?”
And I was all “oooooh I like that!”
And so we named her Laina.
And my birthday girl just turned seven.
Happy Birthday Laina!
(May be time for a new pair of pants?)
You turned three.
You turned four.
You turned five.
You turned six.
Michelle @ ocm says
Happy birthday to Laina. :) My personal rule when someone tells me what name they picked for their baby is to smile and say I love it. Because after all, that is all they want to hear cross your lips.
Jessica says
I had to fight with my husband on the spelling of our youngest kid’s name. I won in the end. Like usual.
Happy birthday to your big girl!
hillary says
Gorgeous names. I like them both. I think Laina goes really well with with Maile. Your kids have hip but unique names. Happy birthday to your beautiful girl! Way to go on chronicling her special days.
Kisatrtle says
It would have been hard for me too to change her name more than halfway through my pregnancy. My oldest daughter is Greta Lynn and we told no one the name until she was born. I had terrible post pardon depression and my MIL kept sing the name together like one long word Gretalynn Gretalynn Gretalynn. I remember calling my husband at work in tears because we named the baby Ritalin LOL. For some reason that’s the same day he decided to talk to me about medication and how it is sometimes helpful….
tracy@sellabitmum says
Aww, happy 7. I love her name. Beautiful girl. xo
Gigi says
Happy birthday to your sweet girl!
christina says
happy birthday to your sweet Laina!
Arnebya @whatnowandwhy says
Ha! I am cracking up at the continuation of the soft pants (what my 8 yr old calls all of the cotton). She has a couple pairs that have been with her that long too, finally no need to be sewn or rolled over to fit. I like Kalia. I like Laina better, and she is GORGEOUS! Happy 7th birthday.
I was dead set on Simone as a middle name for Zoe. Zoe Simone. It flowed soooooooo prettily. I was determined and would not be deterred. That is, until my husband and I ran into someone he went to high school with. I remember thinking damn she looks used up, like how is she even your age? Later he told me “Simone” was the local ho when they were teenagers. Kinda changed my outlook and is so not Zoe’s middle name.
Kristin says
Happy birthday!!
And this story is why I never told anyone my names for my 2nd son. I went through so much crap with my 1st sons name. I was dead set on it. I had thought about it since I was 13 for crying out loud. But I ended up changing it while in labor because his dad decided he didn’t like it. With my 2nd son I just called him “junior” for 37wks lol.
Amber says
When I was pregnant with my son I told everyone his name (Kellen -prounounced kell-lynn: seems self explanatory but it’s always misprounounced) and having so many people tell me that didn’t like it I swore if I had more children I wouldn’t tell their name.
Fast forward 3.5 years and I’m pregnant trying to name my daughter this past December. I broke my rule and told every name I liked to my mother and husband which they all seemed to hate. I finally settled on Alaina (just like your Laina but with the A: again self explanatory but people can’t get it right either)
I guess what I’m trying to say with this worst comment ever that I love her name and happy birthday to your Laina!
Lydia says
I am obsessed with names, too. Even now, I’m planning the name of my next child who isn’t even anywhere near the uterus yet! ;) Laina is a gorgeous name for a gorgeous little girl! Happy Birthday!
Lorna says
Happy Birthday to Laina! My future husband’s top choice for a girl’s name when it’s our turn is Penguinella or Penelope Gwyneth, so we can call her PenGwyn. I am not convinced.
Susanna Leonard Hill says
Both names are beautiful, but Laina really seems to suit her :) We had the same issue with our first – I was set on naming her Galen, but too many people said it was a boy’s name (which was partly why I liked it because it was different) but mainly the problem was no good nickname. So we ended up with Kathryn – which I love :) Happy birthday to your Laina!
Trish says
Laina is a beautiful name. But I do feel your pain. I love my girls’ names and didn’t have to compromise or give up a girl name. However, since I was a teenager I wanted to name a boy Ben after my father. I just love that name. Sadly, I didn’t have any boys :( I’m going to work on my girls to name one of their boys Ben.
Harishbhai says
Tienes razf3n, a mi me hizo pasar un rato agradable, tal vez prouqe me permitif3 imaginar como se desarrollaron en la Zarzuela aquellos acontecimientos, pero sobre todo por el buen trabajo de los actores y la agilidad de los dos capedtulos, ahora bien, sin duda es una hagiografeda del Rey, donde no se ve el sufrimiento de los diputados ni del pueblo espaf1ol temeroso y convencido de que de nuevo nos mandaban a las tinieblas. Alguien podreda decir que e9ste un argumento para otra peledcula, es cierto, como tambie9n lo es que esa noche nadie hizo nada por oponerse en la calle a los golpistas, nadie salif3 a la calle a protestar, todo el mundo parecif3 ocultarse, incluso los partidos y sindicatos optaron por poner a buen recaudo archivos y documentos. Aquel deda es verdad que la labor del Rey fue fundamental para parar el golpe, pero apenas sabemos me1s de los intredngulis, solo del resultado, y con eso nos conformamos, y bien este1, pues fue una verdadera vacuna para los militares. Y sin embargo, todo esto me rechina, pues responde un poco a esa tf3pica e interesada teoreda de que solo el Rey salvf3 a Espaf1a, o de que la transicif3n se hizo gracias al monarca y a Suarez, como si el pueblo espaf1ol no hubiese hecho nada, como si no hubiese presionado constantemente para acaba con los restos del franquismo y pagado con represiones, ce1rceles y tambie9n muertos en esos inciertos af1os tras la muerte del dictador sangriento. Es cierto que el papel del rey fue importantisimo en la transicif3n, y definitivo para frenar a los militares el 23F, estoy de acuerdo, pero si el pueblo espaf1ol no se hubiese manifestado continua y claramente a favor de la democracia, y no lo hubiese pagado con creces, no sabemos que hubiese hecho el Rey. Sed, acompaf1f3 esos deseos, y con hacerlo ya hizo mucho, pero ni mucho menos todo. Dicho todo esto, me gusto la serie, y reconozco el papel del Rey esa noche.
Jennifer says
I can relate. When I was pregnant with Cady I was convinced she was a boy. I didn’t even consider any girl names. Whenever David would ask, “but what if the baby is a girl, she’ll need a name…” I would respond, “oh, we’ll name her Emily. That’s a pretty name.” Needless to say at the ultrasound we found out she was a girl and I was freaking out. We were sitting at dinner and I started crying and said, “She’s not an Emily.” Look boohoo crying. David assured me the we would come up with something. My mom suggested Cady, which was my mother in law’s maiden name. The minute she said it I knew it was right.
a Book for My Daughter says
I had a very similar experience, although the changing of the name happened after my son was born. My husband is Kurdish, and for his one and only son, he wanted to give him a Kurdish name. Although I agreed, it wasn’t easy finding one we both agreed on. I had wanted to use the family name James as his middle name, but I relented if we could give our son the Kurdish name “Dariyan” (he also got a Kurdish middle name). Anyway, I called him this everyday for 5 months, and on the day he finally arrived, I even put it on his birth certificate. The following day, my husband arrived at the hospital in tears. His father didn’t like the name and said it was Persian, not Kurdish. After hours of arguing, we finally decided on a new name, and now 7 years later, I can’t imagine my son being anyone other than Adem (pronounced AH dehm).
Happy Birthday, Laina!
OHN says
So, I was in a drug induced haze after a nightmarish labor (contracted for 13 weeks, bedrest, admitted to the hospital a half dozen times then was on a pitocin drip for days because the contractions stopped when it was time to have the little bugger)..sorry, I digress. So in this drug induced post C-section haze my husband named the baby. Legally. On paper and everything. It was a name we tossed around early and I discarded. On top of that?? husband spelled it wrong so son has a female spelling of this name. Dipshit. I came up with a nickname and that’s pretty much all I call him.
(The baby after the one with the crappy name…..I named him the name I wanted for the baby with the crappy name).
Oh, and I LOVE that Laina has been able to wear the pants for three years! They need to be stuffed and mounted on her wall for posterity.
Shell says
Aw, she’s so grown up!
I taught a Khaleigha(um, yeah, it was spelled like that)- I like your spelling better.
I wanted an Avery Elizabeth. But I had no girls.
Jen says
Maybe… she will like this post so much and want to change her name to Kalia when she is older.
(Hope she had a great Birthday)
Joanne says
Happy birthday, Laina (Kalia)! We had a really hard time coming up with a name for our daughter. Two weeks before she was due, my husband came home from work and I said, “How about Summer Grace Margaret?” and he said, “Which one?” So she has three names.
Susan in the Boonies says
Happy Birthday to your beautifully named, beautiful daughter.
Tracy P. says
I love her. I love her name. I love her pink pants. I miss her purple house, though. Happy birthday, sweet Laina!
Amanda says
Happy birthday-such a pretty name for a pretty girl!
Holly says
I wanted a Moxy Charlotte and got twin boys…
Dear Crissy says
I had my heart set on Alaina for Kara, but I just couldn’t get my husband on board. Of course, I’m glad we ended up on Kara but…
Happy birthday do your little girl, she is a jewel.
Marta says
Happy Happy Belated Birthday!
Also, I love looking at all the photos of her growing! Its so crazy to watch them get bigger!
Aimee Giese | Greeblemonkey says
Happy birthday kayyy-llaaay–na!
Such a pretty gal. :)
Melissa says
Cute story (even if it was a bit irritating).
My daughter was supposed to be Lily until 2 weeks before her birth…. ;-)
Dionne says
Laina is an awesome name. Your little girl is adorable. I love all of the pictures! I enjoyed the story of how you named her. I am named after Dionne Warwick. Pronounce (Dee-yawn) Most people say it as Dee–on which I don’t usually correct them. I like the way my mom said it, Dee-yawn.
Julie {Angry Julie Monday} says
Happy Belated Birthday to Laina!!! I’m such a slacker this year. I really didn’t do an entire post related to my son’s birthday. My son’s name was supposed to be spelled “KADEN”, we even had it up on the wall of his room. All of the guys at work picked on me one day and said that it sounds girly with the K, so I freaked out and changed it to a C, the week before he was born. My #1 choice was Declan though….totally awesome. My husband said that people would call him, Dick-Lan….
Dez says
Your children are beautiful! And I like both names :)