I realized that I haven’t posted the baby names here. Although we thought the babies wouldn’t arrive for at least 8 more weeks and then the hospital had told us we had 30 days after the babies were born to name them. Despite this, the birth certificate lady called me twice each day asking for names. Brise and I still haven’t held our babies and their faces have been obscured by tubes and tape since minutes after their birth. It’s hard to make such a permanent decision for beings that hardly seem real. After much discussion and perhaps a little argument, we reached names that we believe are absolutely perfect.

Finn Monroe Walle - Baby B

We found out that we were pregnant in Finland. We know the name Finn is Irish, but we are using it as a call back to the wonderful country that welcomed us as though it were a second home. Finn also was born with a head full of blonde hair and we know it may change, but he got the name Finn as it means “fair” or “white.”

Monroe, Finn’s middle name, is a call back to Brise’s great grandfather who invented the shock absorber in what is now Monroe, MI.

Lydia Norma Jean Walle - Baby C

Our baby girl is named after two of the strongest women we know. Brise’s grandmother Lydia, without whom we wouldn’t have any of our babies, provided her first name. Brise’s gradmother is a force of nature, clever, a great scrabble player, and very thoughtful. Her middle name is Norma Jean, which is my grandmother’s name. My grandmother has always been my favorite person and she may be tiny, but she is an incredibly strong, feisty, and loving woman.

Aubrey Michael Walle - Baby A

Aubrey was my great grandfather’s name. I love the name and I love that my great grandfather raised my grandfather who has coddled me and loved me since the day I was born. He’s shown me unconditional love, he’s taken care of my grandmother while she hasn’t been well, and he is the patriarch of my family, having reared four children of his own, children who are my aunts and uncles and have provided a wonderful family who has loved me.

Brise’s mom’s name is Michelle, and Aubrey’s middle name is the masculine form. It goes without saying that Brise’s mother has had a monumental impact on our lives. She also was mother to three children - two boys and a girl. Brise and I both hope to pull from all of our parental figures in the hopes that we can do at least 1/2 as good of the job they have done.