Sassy

Jelani and I didn't tell anyone what we were naming the children until they were born, and it was already on the birth certificate. We figured that way, if anyone didn't like the name they'd keep their mouths shut about since they'd be distracted by our super cute child.

When Chastity was born, and we finally announced her name to our family and friends, everyone immediately began throwing out nicknames. Perhaps this was their subtle way of telling us the name sucked, or maybe everyone was just in competition to have the most creative nickname that would stick. As you know, Chaz was thrown out early (thanks Bonos). My nephew called her Chassy, like a car part, or so I'm told. That seemed the most logical and was easier to say than all those syllables with all those Ts.

Then, a friend of mine began calling her Sassy. I may have run with that one on occasion because there was something about the way she would laugh at me when I would have her on the changing table, tickling her, and saying, in a more high pitched voice than I'd like to admit, "Sassy pants! Little miss Sassy Pants!" Unfortunately, the name didn't stick so much but the sassy-ness did. Chastity, over time, proved to be a more head strong stubborn independent thinker, than Elijah ever was.

This week, after she heard Elijah's declaration that he wished to be called Eli, she began telling me, "I'm Sassy."

At first I thought she wanted to be called Chassy. I've let that one slip a few times when I was feeling lazy, but I haven't called her Sassy since she was a little baby.

"You want to be called Chassy?" I asked.

"No! SASSY!" she exclaimed, rather defiantly.

And just now, while playing with Eli she informed him that she is not Chastity, "Eli, I'm Sassy!"

"Chastity, what's your name?" I asked, after overhearing them.

"Sassy," she smiled

So I guess there is no disputing that.