Chuck

Right around the same time that Mark and I got married we were into The Real World: New Orleans on MTV.  In the season there was a girl with a more boyish name.  During a commercial break we got to talking about how we liked boy names for girls.  The conversation went something like this:

Mark:  I really kinda like that, a boy name for a girl.

Me:  Yeah, I do too.

Mark sprouted off a list off names

Me:  Well...I really love the name Charlie for a girl.

SILENCE........

Mark: WE! CANNOT! NAME! OUR! DAUGHTER! CHARLIE! BROWN!!!!!

It took me a second to realize why and then it clicked, between fits of laughter.  "Oh, Charlie Brown."

We both got a good laugh out of the entire thing.  At that point I just wasn't thinking about my last name being Brown yet.  Needless to say, it has been one of my favorite stories to tell.

Most people think that I'm joking when I say I like the name Charlie, but I really do.  Usually the reaction to the story is first a little bit of laughing and then someone asks.  "Are you really going to name her that?"  "You can't name her that."  The funny thing is, these conversations happened long before Mark and I told anybody that we were even expecting. 

For our family though, Charlie stuck, now it has turned into a big joke withe everyone.  Mark's younger sister kept walking around the house one morning telling his parents, "if it's a girl and they really name her that I will call her Chuck.  Just like Peppermint Patty in the cartoon."  This also caused fits of laughter for everyone. 

Let's face it the girl wouldn't stand a chance if we named her Charlie Brown! Can you imagine?  For now however, girl or boy, Baby Brown is known as Charlie or Chuck.  Charlie and Chuck both sound better than the baby, or my baby, or he, or she, or it.  No matter, what little Charlie Brown is already so very loved and doesn't even know the amount of laughs he or she has already brought us!  

I'll leave you with this little gem in case you need a refresher course in Peanuts.