For weeks I’ve been meaning to write about Elisabeth’s name change. But every time I sit down to blog, a more pressing subject is, well, more pressing.
Really important things like Halloween Hangovers. And slime.
Or maybe it’s been that I’m a bit afraid that the name change to Elisabeth won’t last. VERY unlikely. Her insistence to be called by her full name has infiltrated the farthest reaches. She has so transformed herself into Elisabeth, that it’s very strange to hear anyone refer to her as Ellie anymore.
And she did it all on her own, despite her family almost always forgetting.
Here’s a timeline of how Elisabeth accomplished the impossible and single-handedly changed her name:
April 18: Ellie announces she will now be called Elisabeth. I write this blog entry.
April and May: Easter, a trip to California, and the end of school all distract our determined little girl from her goal. Catie announces she will NEVER call her little sister Elisabeth because “you can’t just change your name like that!”
June: Sam and I try to remember Elisabeth, but we’re the only two who do. Without anyone else around for traction, Elisabeth caves to the family pressure and answers to Ellie.
August 22: First day of school. When the teacher asks what each student likes to be called, Ellie insists on Elisabeth. She tells this to her new friends. And her old ones. And everyone. Loudly. MY NAME IS ELISABETH.
August 29: Sam makes the switch. Why not? Everyone at school calls his sister Elisabeth. He joins her in correcting me when I use the dreaded Ellie.
August 30: The twins’ teacher asks me why I wrote ELLIE on all of Elisabeth’s supplies. I admit I didn’t think Ellie would stick with Elisabeth. The teacher looks puzzled. Elisabeth has always been Elisabeth to her. Who is this Ellie?
September 8: Grandma comes to visit. While eating breakfast, she slips and says, “Ellie.” Elisabeth runs upstairs in tears. We’re all realizing this new name may last.
September 15: Daddy has made the Elisabeth switch. And after Elisabeth corrects Catie 874,398,221 times, “Elisabeth” even rolls off Catie’s tongue.
September 24: Elisabeth gets as close as she ever has to a neighborhood argument when the other kids call her Ellie. She won’t play until they concede to Elisabeth.
October 1: Elisabeth really wants to write her own name. I point out that ELLIE has four less letters (including the difficult-to-master S). And that’s not even talking about learning to write Hergenrader. Sam shows off by doodling his name all over the paper (except the difficult-to-master S). Elisabeth is determined to write her “real name.”
October 23: At Communion, our pastor blesses Elisabeth with “Jesus loves you, Ellie.” M and I freeze. Will she create a scene? She only stage-whispers, “ELISABETH!” And then grins when the pastor corrects himself.
November 1: I read the twins one of their favorite books that features a character named Ellie ( the reason we bought the book a couple years ago). When I read the name Ellie, Elisabeth asks me to repeat it.
Me: Ellie.
Elisabeth: What’s that? What’s an Ooo-lie?
Me: You know, like we used to call you. Ellie.
Elisabeth: Ooo-lie? I don’t know this name.
Me (laughing): No. Ellie. You know this word. Ellie. Ellie. Ellie.
Elisabeth (shaking her head, like I’ve lost my mind). I don’t know what you’re talking about with that word.
And that’s how Ellie became Elisabeth.
